According to the Journal of Patient Safety, 210,000 to 440,000 people needlessly die each year from medical negligence. That makes medical errors the third leading cause of death in our country.
Medical malpractice is negligence caused by the acts or omissions of a healthcare provider, like doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. When their conduct falls below the accepted standard of practice in our community, it may cause permanent, irreparable harm to you or your family. Insurance companies have spent millions of dollars in an attempt to convince the public that medical malpractice cases are bad for our country and for the healthcare system. These claims have routinely been proven to be false and misleading. More importantly, though, medical malpractice cases act as a check and balance on doctors, nurses, and hospitals. Without this check and balance, patient safety would become an afterthought and more people would needlessly die. Thankfully, all healthcare providers carry some type of professional insurance coverage. This means that they are not personally responsible for any settlement or verdict against them. Instead, their insurance company is responsible for paying any settlement or trial verdict.
When doctors, nurses, and hospitals make mistakes, the results can be catastrophic. These errors often result from poor communication and a failure to recognize important details. The Phoenix medical malpractice lawyers at Snyder & Wenner, P.C., have a national reputation for holding healthcare providers responsible for their negligence. Medical malpractice cases can be very challenging, very difficult, and very expensive. Our attorneys have over 80 years combined experience in medical malpractice in the greater Phoenix area. Based on that experience, we:
- Review and analyze your case with our on-staff nurse
- Work with hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers to obtain your medical records
- Work with physicians at the most well-respected institutions throughout our country to review your case and to provide expert testimony
That is only the beginning of the process. After we have evaluated your case, we then spend countless hours researching the physician, the hospital, and the nurses who treated you or your loved one. No stone is left unturned in investigating what happened, why it happened, and how the tragic outcome could have been avoided. Many law firms prepare cases to settle at mediation; if the case does not settle, they are ill-prepared to go to trial. That strategy can have catastrophic results. We prepare every case as though it will go to trial. In Arizona, doctors often must agree to settle the case before their insurance company can even make an offer to settle the case. We fight hard to achieve a fair and beneficial settlement, but if the doctor will not consent to settle, we are then prepared to go to trial to protect your rights. When you have us on your side, you will know that you are in the hands of experienced lawyers who will do everything possible to win your case.
Phoenix Medical Malpractice Lawyers Who Are Dedicated to Protecting Our Community
Our years of experience have resulted in our law firm being nationally recognized as top medical malpractice lawyers. In fact, Snyder & Wenner, P.C. was named US News Best Law Firms 2015. We know that we have a responsibility to our clients and to our community. Because of that, we only take the most important medical malpractice cases with serious injuries. In doing so, we have been very successful in the following areas of medical malpractice:
- Hospital Safety – If you or a loved one has visited a hospital because of illness or injury, you deserve to be treated with care. If hospital staff has acted negligently, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Snyder and Wenner, P.C. can help you if you’ve been the victim of negligent care at Abrazo Health, Banner Health, Scottsdale Healthcare, or any other medical facility in Arizona.
- Birth Injury – Birth injuries can happen in many ways, from ignoring low oxygen levels to using too much force during delivery to ignoring low oxygen levels. Heartbreakingly, many birth injuries are completely preventable if proper care and attention are given to the mother and fetus or newborn.
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries – Brain and spinal cord injuries can lead to loss of memory, motor function, sight, speech, cognitive function, and more. If you or a loved one has had a brain injury, our Brain Injury Glossary may be able to aid your understanding of complex medical terminology.
- Misdiagnosis – Misdiagnosis is one of the most common medical mistakes and can leave patients suffering unnecessarily. Not being treated for an illness you do have and being treated for something you do not have is often a deadly combination. Also covered under the misdiagnosis umbrella is missed diagnosis, when a doctor issues a false clean bill of health, thus losing precious treatment time.
- Surgical, Anesthesia, and Radiology Errors – Simple errors can be deadly when in hospitals and medical facilities. Often, these errors stem from lack of attention and care by the medical personnel. This happens for many reasons, from overtired workers to communication barriers to a lack of training. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to get to the bottom of why a patient was seriously injured.
How Do We Prove Your Medical Malpractice Case?
In Arizona, there are three elements that we must prove to be successful in your case:
Negligence
First, we must prove that the healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, etc.) was negligent, or “fell below the standard of care.” The standard of care is what our community thinks is appropriate care under the circumstances. To prove this element, we hire experts from the top medical institutions around the country to review the records and tell us whether the conduct was inappropriate.
Causation
Once we have an expert who says that the healthcare provider was negligent, we then are required to prove that the negligence was “a cause” of the injuries. This is called “causation.” If we are unable to link up the negligent conduct with the injuries, we cannot pursue the case. We again go to experts in the particular field who work at the very best medical institutions in the country. They review the records and tell us whether the negligent care was “a cause” of what eventually happened.
Damages
The third, and final, element that we are required to prove is damages. Damages are the injuries that you or your loved one suffered due to the medical malpractice. For example, if the patient passed away, the damages are the pain and suffering that the surviving family members suffered as a result of the wrongful death. Every case is different, and everyone responds to adversity differently. Because of that, we spend countless hours interviewing you and your family and friends to see how the injuries have affected your life. If the medical malpractice resulted in a permanent injury, such as an amputation, we will hire experts to testify about your condition, the pain and suffering that accompanies it, and how the injury will affect you for the rest of your life.
Unfortunately, there are time limitations on when you or your loved ones may file a lawsuit. How long you have depends on when you knew or should have known of the conduct that led to your injuries. Once the deadline passes, you may be unable to hold the person or hospital responsible who caused your injuries. Please do not delay in contacting us to discuss your potential case.
If you or your loved one has been catastrophically injured by medical malpractice, call us today. We will investigate your case and help you to determine if there is a valid lawsuit.
Client Testimonial
They treated me like family
“Snyder and Wenner did an amazing job on my medical malpractice case. They treated me like family and always kept me in the loop. My experience with them was fantastic. I would highly recommend them to my friends and family. Thanks again to Snyder and Wenner for all of the great work they did to get my case settled!”
–Adam S., Satisfied Client
Snyder & Wenner Adam S. Rating: 5 out of 5