Negligence means something different in the medical field. When a doctor or health care provider falls short of the standards of care, it is a patient’s life on the line. If you or a loved one has suffered injury or harm due to a physician’s negligence in Boston, Massachusetts, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Barry D. Lang, M.D. & Associates can help you understand and defend your rights during a medical malpractice lawsuit. We have over 20 years of experience and on-staff doctors and nurses to evaluate your case. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Medical malpractice is a form of professional negligence that is committed by a health care provider. This could be a doctor, physician, chiropractor, dentist or any other licensed medical professional. Medical practitioners are held to a higher standard of care than other professionals due to the delicate nature of their jobs.
The medical industry has strict standards for how patients should be cared for and treated. If a doctor or provider falls short of these standards, he or she is guilty of professional negligence. When careless or substandard treatment results in harm to a patient, the patient has grounds to file a medical malpractice case in Massachusetts.
Medical malpractice can take many forms. Common examples include diagnostic errors, misdiagnoses, medication mistakes, surgical errors, birth injuries, anesthesia errors, defective medical equipment, emergency room errors and fatal allergic reactions.
SURGERY MALPRACTICE
$3,400,000
FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE
$3,500,0000
MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE
$2,450,000
MEDICATION ERROR
$2,000,000
A successful medical malpractice lawsuit in Massachusetts requires the plaintiff to correctly navigate all of the Commonwealth’s medical malpractice laws. Hiring a Boston medical malpractice attorney can make this easier, as an attorney will have years of case knowledge and experience to guide you through this complicated practice area. In the meantime, here is a brief overview of two basic Massachusetts medical malpractice laws to know.
Like most states, Massachusetts has a law known as a statute of limitations that applies a deadline to medical malpractice lawsuits. This deadline is three years from the date of the negligent act or the date that you discovered your harm from the medical error. There is also an overarching deadline known as the statute of repose of seven years after the error occurred, regardless of when you discovered the harm.
We can help you get through the tribunal review requirement and navigate Boston’s other medical malpractice laws.
Massachusetts has a requirement that is unique to medical malpractice cases. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 231, section 60B states that once the defendant responds to the medical malpractice claim, the plaintiff has 15 days to present an “offer and proof” to a tribunal. This is a three-person panel made up of:
You or your lawyer will need to present evidence to the tribunal of medical malpractice. The tribunal will review the evidence and decide if it is enough to raise a “legitimate question” of whether the defendant was negligent in providing medical care. A Boston medical malpractice lawyer can help you get through the tribunal review requirement and navigate Boston’s other medical malpractice laws.
At Barry D. Lang, M.D. & Associates, a lawyer can effectively handle your medical malpractice case while you focus on healing from your injury or illness. Find out how we can help you and your family with a medical malpractice claim in Boston during a free consultation. Contact us at 1-877-LAW-DOCS today.