I need to recover lost wages due to an abdominal surgery that resulted in a hernia. What do I do?
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I need to recover lost wages due to an abdominal surgery that resulted in a hernia. What do I do?
I had a hysterectomy in January and the surgeon went through my c-section
scar tissue, the incision did not heal and now I have to have a reconstructive
surgery to repair an incisional hernia. I have lost work and am drowning in bills
due to the lost time.
Asked on October 14, 2017 under Malpractice Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 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).
When you complete your reconstructive surgery and are released by the doctor or are declared by the doctor to be permanent and stationary, which means having reached a point in your medical treatment where no further improvement is anticipated, obtain your medical bills, medical reports and documentation of wage loss. Also, obtain these items from the hysterectomy.
Your claim filed with the doctor's malpractice insurance carrier should include your medical bills, medical reports and documentation of wage loss.
Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement. The medical reports will document your medical condition and will be used to determine compensation for pain and suffering which is an amount in addition to the medical bills. Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.
If the case is settled with the doctor's 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 a lawsuit for negligence against the doctor.
If the case is NOT settled, your lawsuit for negligence against the doctor must be filed prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.
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