Medical Malpractice Questions?
Answered By Our Anchorage and Juneau Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Dillon & Findley, P.C., a medical malpractice firm, has represented and won settlements for hundreds of clients in medical malpractice cases. Each Juneau and Anchorage medical malpractice attorney at our firm has extensive experience with medical malpractice cases and is available to answer any questions you may have about medical malpractice.
The following are frequently asked questions about medical malpractice:
- Q: What is medical malpractice?
- A: Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider renders any treatment or fails to render treatment in a manner that falls below accepted standards of care and causes harm to the patient.
- Q: Who can be held liable for medical malpractice?
- A: Any healthcare provide may be held liable for medical malpractice. This includes but is not limited to surgeons, physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, emergency medical technicians, private hospitals, and government institutions.
- Q: When must I file my medical malpractice claim?
- A: Under Alaska law, generally you must file your claim within two years of the date of the incident giving rise to the medical malpractice claim. There are narrow exceptions to this rule that must be analyzed on a case by case basis.
- Q: What type of injuries may provide the basis for a medical malpractice claim?
- A: Numerous injuries may be caused by medical malpractice. Examples include but are not limited to injuries resulting from surgical errors, birth injuries and cerebral palsy, injuries resulting from failure to diagnose a serious medical condition, and orthopedic injuries.
- Q: What must be shown to prevail in a medical malpractice case?
- A: Alaska law requires proof by a preponderance of the evidence that a healthcare provider fell below the standard of care in rendering medical treatment and that this breach of standard of care caused injury or death.
- Q: What kind of damages may a victim of medical malpractice recover in a lawsuit?
- A: Generally, a medical malpractice claim includes compensation for pain and suffering, payment of medical expenses, and reimbursement for any past, present, or future economic loss. Alaska law limits non-economic damages to $400,000 regardless the severity of injury or death and limits non-economic damages to $250,000 if the injury is not significant or did not result in death.
If you have questions about a potential medical malpractice case, such as one involving a surgical error or a failure to diagnose a medical condition, our attorneys can help. Our experienced attorneys at Dillon & Findley are available to answer your medical malpractice questions. Please contact our Alaska law firm now for a free consultation.
