America’s healthcare professionals have a legal duty to provide a certain standard of care to their patients. When they fail to do so, patients can suffer harm.
Medical malpractice occurs when the negligent actions of a hospital, doctor or other health care professional result in a patient’s injury, illness or death.
When a patient becomes injured as a result of an error on the part of a hospital or healthcare professional, they have a right to seek compensation for the damages they have suffered as a result of their injuries by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
If you, a loved one or an unborn child has been injured or died as a result of a medical error on the part of a doctor, nurse, hospital, clinic, rehab facility or other healthcare provider, the Houston medical malpractice lawyers at Ricardo N. Gonzalez & Associates are here to protect your rights and help you collect the compensation you deserve. We help clients injured in a wide range of medical malpractice and nursing home abuse cases in Houston.
Surgical Errors
When surgeons, nurses and other operating room staff are negligent in the care they provide during a surgical procedure, the effects on the patient can be tragic. We represent patients who have been injured as a result of a surgical error, including the wrong operation being performed, operations on the wrong body part, operations on the wrong patient, anesthesia errors, contaminated equipment and operating rooms, perforating a nearby organ, transplant errors, or foreign objects left inside a patient’s body.
Hospital Errors
When hospitals cut corners on staff, inventory and equipment, errors can result and patients can suffer. We handle cases involving injuries due to hospital negligence such as medication errors, unsanitary facilities and equipment, unqualified or overworked staff, failure to diagnose, ER errors, ICU errors, delayed or incorrect treatment, poor record keeping, poorly maintained or malfunctioning equipment, defective medical devices and drug errors.
Birth Injuries
Negligence on the part of a physician or obstetrician can cause harm to a baby during pregnancy, labor, delivery or post-delivery. Some of these conditions are treatable, but others, unfortunately, may become permanent. Some can even endanger the health of the mother, as well. Failure to identify birth defects, failure to anticipate birth complications, cerebral palsy and other conditions caused due to brain, organ and nerve damage, and errors while using forceps or vacuum extractors are just a few examples of the negligent prenatal care and childbirth error medical malpractice claims we handle.
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosing a medical condition can have a devastating effect on a patient’s health. These errors occur when a healthcare professional fails to follow proper medical procedures and conduct the adequate examinations and tests that would confirm a diagnosis. We hold healthcare professionals responsible when their negligence results in a patient being hurt because they got the wrong kind of treatment or did not get the proper treatment in time.
Nursing Errors
Nurses are some of the hardest working healthcare professionals. Long hours and understaffing can lead to mistakes that cause harm to their patients. Medication errors, unnoticed infections, documentation errors, miscommunication and patient falls are some of the more common types of nursing errors in Houston.
Nursing Home Abuse
It is necessary to take immediate action if you suspect an elderly loved one is the victim of nursing home abuse in Houston. Nursing home abuse takes many forms, including physical neglect, financial abuse, property and identity theft, emotional and verbal abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. Warning signs of nursing home abuse include: unexplained injuries, unusual weight loss, isolation, questionable behavior on the part of the caregiver (such as not being allowed to have a private conversation with a resident) and bank account/credit card/Social Security payment theft.
Proving Medical Malpractice in Houston
Medical malpractice cases are notoriously hard to win. The hospitals, healthcare professionals and their insurance companies are going to do everything they can to get out of taking financial responsibility for their errors and other acts of negligence. An injured patient needs an attorney with a solid record when it comes to dealing with the insurance companies and getting tangible results for their clients.
In order to win a medical malpractice lawsuit in Texas, you must be able to prove that:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed;
- The doctor was negligent in delivering the minimum standard of care to the patient;
- This negligence caused the patient’s injuries; and
- The patient suffered damages as a result of these injuries.
The Houston medical malpractice lawyers at Ricardo N. Gonzalez & Associates have the skills and resources to gather the necessary evidence to support your claim, including medical records, eyewitness reports and expert testimony.
Armed with this evidence, we can aggressively negotiate with the insurance company to obtain a settlement that fully compensates you for all the pain, suffering and financial losses resulting from your medical malpractice injuries.
Most cases are settled before they go to trial. However, if we are unable to negotiate an adequate settlement with the insurance companies, we are ready and able to take things to the next level: arguing your case in front of a judge and jury.
Speak with a Houston Medical Malpractice Lawyer
You have a right to seek full compensation for any injuries resulting from medical malpractice in Houston. The Texas personal injury law firm of Ricardo N. Gonzalez & Associates is dedicated to protecting those rights. If you were injured as a result of medical malpractice in Houston, contact Ricardo N. Gonzalez & Associates at (800) 454-3074 as soon as possible to schedule a free confidential consultation with one of our experienced Houston medical negligence attorneys.
We are eager to discuss the details of your medical malpractice claim, answer any questions you might have and offer frank, professional advice on how best to proceed with your claim. Evening and weekend appointments aren’t a problem; if you are unable to visit our offices we can arrange to meet with you at home or in your hospital room.
