Do I have a case for malpractice?
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Do I have a case for malpractice?
I went to see about a pain in my right calf and my foot was cold to the touch. I had and told him i thought it was a blood clot because I have a history of it. He sent me home saying it was high blood pressure. The very next day I had to go back because I felt the clot move to my ankle which caused my toes to turn purple. He still could not tell me what was wrong. I told him again I think it’s a blood clot. He sent me to the ER, and took the another 5 hours to find out what was wrong. Now I have gangrene and will lose all of my toes
Asked on June 26, 2012 under Malpractice Law, Hawaii
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
It would be advisable to obtain your medical records and have them reviewed by a different doctor. If that second doctor writes a report that may support a malpractice claim against the first doctor, it will be important evidence you can use in your malpractice case.
Medical malpractice is negligence. Negligence is the failure to exercise due care (that degree of care that a reasonable medical practitioner in the community would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances to prevent foreseeable harm).
Prior to filing a lawsuit for negligence against the first doctor, it may be possible to settle the case with the first doctor's malpractice insurance carrier. Your claim filed with the malpractice insurance carrier should include your medical bills, medical reports and documentation of wage loss. Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement. Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement. The medical reports will document the nature and extent of your injury and will be used to determine compensation for pain and suffering, which is an amount in addition to the medical bills. If the case is settled with the malpractice insurance carrier, NO lawsuit is filed. If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the malpractice insurance carrier, reject the settlement offers and file your lawsuit for negligence against the first doctor. If the case is NOT settled with the malpractice insurance carrier, you will need to file your lawsuit for negligence against the first doctor prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.
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