Were you injured due to a healthcare provider’s mistake in Seattle, WA? You may have a medical malpractice claim. Call Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer at PHONE NUMBER for a free consultation.
Our Seattle medical malpractice lawyers can help you pursue a claim against your doctor to recover the compensation you deserve. With 31 years of legal experience and tens of millions of dollars recovered, we have a proven track record of success.
Doctors are responsible for meeting a reasonable standard of care. When they fail, patients can suffer serious harm and even death, under some circumstances. Because of our strong legal representation, hospitals, insurance companies, and healthcare providers have had to take responsibility for their actions and provide fair compensation to our clients. We’re ready to begin working with you today.
How Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer Helps Victims of Medical Errors in Seattle, Washington
When you choose to work with our Seattle personal injury lawyers, we will:
- Investigate the medical care you received
- Measure your doctor’s actions against the standard of care expected
- Explore potential hospital negligence
- Calculate the full extent of your damages
- Retain top medical experts, including other physicians, to support your case
- Handle negotiations with the hospital and its insurance company
- Take your case to trial if a reasonable settlement cannot be agreed upon
Hospitals and healthcare providers are often represented by highly competent defense attorneys. You can expect them to fight your claim every step of the way.
Our Seattle medical malpractice attorneys are here to support you. Our lawyer, Darrell Cochran, has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers, and the National Association for Legal Support Professionals.
Call Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer today to schedule a free consultation with our attorney.
How Common Is Medical Malpractice?
Statistics on medical malpractice are difficult to find. However, according to one recent study, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Furthermore, another study reported that every year there are approximately 400,000 hospitalized patients who experience some form of preventable harm. Another 200,000+ patient deaths were caused by medical negligence.
These numbers demonstrate that medical malpractice is a common occurrence across the U.S.
How Do I Prove Medical Malpractice in Seattle?
To win your medical malpractice claim, you’ll need to prove that the liable party was negligent. There are four elements to negligence claims.
These include:
- Duty of Care: Your provider owed you a duty of care because of a doctor-patient relationship.
- Breach of Duty: Your doctor failed to uphold the reasonable standard of care expected of them by the medical community when treating you.
- Causation: Your doctor’s actions resulted in your injuries.
- Damages: You sustained damages, such as physical injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering, on account of your doctor’s actions.
It’s important to note that not all injuries are caused by medical errors; in fact, many people sustain minor and even catastrophic injuries even when their healthcare provider has met the standard of care. However, when an injury is the result of a preventable error, a healthcare provider can be held legally responsible.
In Washington state, expert testimony is required to establish the applicable standard of care. Expert witnesses not only help establish the standard of care but can also demonstrate that a provider deviated from that standard.
We will use medical timelines, lab reports, and studies to support the finding that your doctor committed a preventable error that contributed to your worsened condition.
What Is My Medical Malpractice Case Worth?
There are numerous factors that can influence the value of your case, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether you have a pre-existing condition
- Whether you have been left partially or permanently disabled
- How long it takes for you to reach maximum medical improvement
- The strength of your evidence
Emotional and psychological harm can also drastically increase the value of your case. Patients with ongoing mental issues, such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression, may be able to recover non-economic damages.
Some victims also claim compensation for loss of household services. If your injuries have prevented you from cooking, cleaning, or caring for your children, you may be able to recover compensation for these services as well.
Based on the available evidence, we will help assess the potential value of your case.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Victims of Medical Errors in Seattle, Washington?
There are two main types of compensatory damages that you can recover from your claim: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover tangible losses that are directly tied to the accident, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Diminished earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- In-home nursing services
Non-economic damages cover intangible, subjective losses that are harder to measure, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Chronic pain that interferes with daily activities, anxiety about your medical treatment, or feelings of betrayal toward a medical provider are other non-economic damages that could be factored into the total value of your damages.
The multiplier method is often used to calculate non-economic damages. This method takes the total economic damages and multiples them by a factor (typically between 1.5 and 5) based on the severity of your injuries.
In some cases, non-economic damages can be worth more than economic damages. You can rely on us to ensure that all your damages are accounted for and work tirelessly to recover every dollar you deserve.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Washington?
Most personal injury attorneys, including ours, work on a contingency fee basis.
This means the following:
- You won’t have to pay us any upfront or hourly fees.
- If we don’t win your case, you won’t owe us anything.
- If we do manage to recover compensation for you, you will owe us a percentage (typically 33%-40%) of your settlement or court award.
Other fee arrangements include traditional hourly billing and fixed rates. These types of arrangements are more common in business law, family law, real estate law, and insurance defense. A contingency fee arrangement allows anyone to have access to high-quality, affordable legal representation without having to worry about paying ongoing costs throughout the course of the legal process.
We Represent Clients in Many Different Types of Medical Malpractice Cases
At Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer, we have experience handling a wide variety of cases involving medical malpractice, such as:
- Surgical errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to treat
- Emergency room errors
- Medication errors
We’ll identify the reason(s) for your poor medical treatment. Oftentimes, hospitals are understaffed or underresourced. In other cases, medical professionals fail to communicate with each other or act carelessly.
Who Could Be Liable for a Medical Error in Seattle?
Any healthcare professional who owed you a duty of care and failed to provide it could be found liable for your injury, whether you suffered nerve damage, an allergic reaction, or a concussion.
Parties that are often found liable in medical malpractice cases include:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Dentists
- Chiropractors
- Anesthesiologists
- Surgeons
- Hospital administration
- Paramedics
Under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior, hospitals or clinics can be held responsible for the actions or inactions of their employees. If a doctor, nurse, or staff member makes a mistake within the scope of their employment, the facility may be found partially responsible for the incident.
Additionally, these institutions can be liable for negligent hiring practices, understaffing, and failure to follow proper medical protocols, all of which result in medical errors that harm patients.
Our legal team will work hard to identify the liable parties involved and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit for Medical Malpractice in Washington?
In the state of Washington, you must file your medical malpractice lawsuit within the later of three years of the date the malpractice was committed, or one year after you discovered or should have discovered your injuries. Washington used to enforce a statute of repose, which extended the timetable in some cases, but in 2023, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that this statute violated the state constitution.
Determining the correct deadline for a cause of action involving medical malpractice can be confusing. Our legal team can help you discern which deadline applies to your case and ensure that all filing deadlines are met.
Contact Our Seattle Medical Malpractice Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you have been injured due to a medical error, you may be entitled to compensation. At Darrell Cochran Personal Injury Lawyer, we have 31 years of legal experience and have recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. Our Seattle medical malpractice attorneys will put their extensive experience and resources to work for you. We’ll seek a financial recovery that can help you get back on your feet.
Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation. We will answer your questions, discuss legal strategy, and address the next steps you should take.