What to do if an emergency room doctor at a local hospital carelessly and negligently scarred my ear canal?
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What to do if an emergency room doctor at a local hospital carelessly and negligently scarred my ear canal?
This caused hearing loss, pain and bleeding. Also, additional doctor visits were necessary as a result, costing more money being unnecessarily spent. This occurred during a simple cleaning procedure. Do I have a case ?
Asked on September 13, 2012 under Malpractice Law, Florida
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
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).
You could sue the doctor and the hospital for negligence.
Prior to filing your lawsuit for negligence, it may be possible to settle the case with the insurance carriers for the doctor and hospital. When you complete your medical treatment with the second doctor, obtain your medical bills (from both doctors and hospital), medical reports (especially the medical report from the second doctor), and documentation of any wage loss. Your claim filed with the insurance carriers for the first doctor and the hospital should include these items. 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 both the insurance carrier for the first doctor and the hospital, NO lawsuit is filed. If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the insurance carriers, reject the settlement offers and file your lawsuit for negligence. If the case is settled with one party (doctor or hospital), only name the party with whom the case has not settled as a defendant in your lawsuit for negligence. If the case is NOT settled with either party, name both parties as defendants in your lawsuit. If the case is NOT settled, you will need to file your lawsuit for negligence prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.
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