DEATH OF PET UNDER MEDICAL CARE OF HOSPITAL
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
DEATH OF PET UNDER MEDICAL CARE OF HOSPITAL
My dog died due to negligence of big hospital called VSG Vet Hospital. she was given 20 mg of steroids a day. her blood sugar must have been checked every week, per 2nd opinion, which was not done big side effect of steroids. She died due to complication of diabetes in 24 hours. DO I HAVE A STRONG CASE IN SMALL CLAIM COURT? DO I NEED A WRITTEN AFFIDAVIT FROM ANOTHER DOCTOR INDICATING THAT BLOOD TEST SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE
Asked on May 21, 2018 under Malpractice Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Unfortunately, you would need the 2nd or other vet to come to court to testify: the law does not accept written affidavits without having the person live in court to testify (the other side must have the opportunity to "cross examine," and you can't cross-examine a piece of paper or ask it questions). You've have to pay the vet for his/her time (and cannot get his cost back from the other side), and could very easily spend far more than you'd get back, since all you could recover in court would be the economic value (basically, the cost) of the dog. (The law doesn't provide compensation for your emotional loss--only for provable economic loss.) Unless the dog was a very valuable show dog, breeder, etc., you'd almost certainly spend more on the lawsuit than you could win.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.