Who Can Be Held Accountable For The Medical Malpractice?
Generally, a medical malpractice claim can be brought against a licensed health care provider. This can include a person, corporation, facility or institution licensed by the state to provide health care or professional services, or an officer, employee, or agent thereof acting in the course and scope of his employment. A claim can be brought against physicians, dentists, nurses, therapists, hospitals, and pharmacists, among others. A physician commits medical malpractice if he fails to act in the same manner a reasonably prudent physician in the same field of medicine would act under the same circumstances. Nurses, therapists and other health care providers, and the hospitals or clinics they work for, can be held responsible for their failure to meet accepted standards of care in their particular field. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a hospital may be held liable for the negligence of their independently contracted physicians. Factors to be considered include whether the hospital negligently granted the physician privileges or directed the physician`s method of treating patients.
There may be more than one cause of an injury. When the negligent conduct of two or more parties contributes concurrently as causes of an injury, liability is apportioned severally based upon each party`s degree of fault. However, if the claimant is without any fault, joint and several liability is imposed on each defendant.
Other Georgia Medical Malpractice FAQs
-
Q:
What Happens If I Am Injured In The Course Of Medical Treatment?
A: If a medical professional makes an error that results in injury to the patient, the patient may be able to sue the negligent party or parties for monetary damages to … More -
Q:
How Do I Know If My Injury Constitutes Medical Malpractice?
A: Medical professionals are not expected to be infallible and there may be poor results from treatment that do not amount to malpractice. Medical professionals are … More -
Q:
Is There A Time Limit In Which I Need To File A Lawsuit For Medical Malpractice?
A: Yes, there is and that time limit is referred to as the statute of limitations. Failure to file suit within this time frame prevents you from filing suit at all. For … More -
Q:
Does Signing A Consent Form Waive My Rights To File A Lawsuit For Medical Malpractice?
A: Signing a consent form in and of itself does not waive your rights. It is possible that the consent form does not contain all of the relevant information that it … More -
Q:
How Much Can I Expect An Attorney To Charge To Handle A Medical Malpractice Case?
A: Most attorneys who believe a case has merit will take the case without payment up front. They will take the case on a contingency basis, which means they will receive … More -
Q:
What Damages Can Be Recovered For Medical Malpractice?
A: As a victim of medical malpractice, you can sue for your injuries and all of the direct consequences of those injuries. You can recover your actual economic losses … More -
Q:
Will We Have To Go To Arbitration?
A: Arbitration is not mandatory in the State of Georgia. The parties may agree to arbitration but the agreement cannot be made prior to the alleged act of malpractice and … More -
Q:
What Is The Collateral Source Rule?
A: Georgia has held that allowing tort defendants to reduce damages by introducing evidence of payments to the claimant from collateral sources unconstitutional. -
Q:
What About Contributory Or Comparative Negligence?
A: Georgia has adopted a variation of comparative negligence. A claimant's action is barred if he could have avoided the consequences of the defendant's negligence. … More -
Q:
Is Expert Testimony Required?
A: A medical malpractice complaint must generally contain an affidavit of an expert stating that the facts justify a claim of negligence. When a claimant fails to file an … More