Are you suffering because your doctor made a mistake in St. Petersburg, FL? Medical errors can have devastating consequences for patients. Our Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group team is passionate about helping victims get justice. An experienced St. Petersburg medical malpractice lawyer can help you fight for money to cover medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Our attorneys have over 50 years of experience. To date, we’ve helped injured clients recover over $250 million in settlements and jury verdicts–and counting.
When you choose our lawyers, you’re not just a number on a file. We’re committed to helping each and every client recover the maximum compensation they deserve. To learn more about our team, contact our law offices in St. Petersburg, Florida for a free consultation at (772) 569-8155.
How Can Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group Help You Win Your Medical Malpractice Claim in St. Petersburg?
Doctors aren’t perfect. They’re fully capable of making mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes are so serious that they cause the patient more harm than good. Fortunately, Florida laws allow victims of medical negligence to take legal action.
On the other hand, the medical community is extremely powerful. Laws tend to favor doctors and hospitals. To recover fair compensation, you’ll need an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney on your team.
Our award-winning attorneys at Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group are well-equipped to handle your case.
While you focus on moving forward, our attorneys will:
- Analyze your medical records and other types of evidence
- Work with leading medical experts who can testify on your behalf
- Evaluate our damages and calculate your case value
- Negotiate with the insurance companies and defense attorneys
- Take your case to trial if you’re unsatisfied with the insurance offer
You can count on our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys to take your case seriously. To learn more about your rights, call for a free case review today.
What is Medical Malpractice in Florida?
All medical professionals are expected to provide a certain standard of care. Under Florida medical malpractice laws, that means the level of care that is recognized as “appropriate and acceptable by reasonably prudent similar health care providers.”
In other words, not every bad result amounts to malpractice. Healthcare providers are only liable when they deviate from the standard of care and harm the patient as a result.
That standard varies from case to case. The level of care depends on the circumstances, the medical provider’s training, the medical condition, and other relevant factors.
How Much Money Is My St. Petersburg Medical Malpractice Case Worth?
It’s common to wonder how much your case is worth when you’re considering legal action. Getting a fair insurance settlement is next to impossible without understanding how much you deserve.
Some key factors that will almost always be relevant when assessing your case value include:
- The type of harm you have suffered
- Whether the mistake caused permanent or long-term damage
- Your medical treatment costs
- How the mistake impacts your ability to earn a living
- Your out-of-pocket costs
- Damage to your quality of life and ability to enjoy life
- The nature of the at-fault healthcare provider’s actions
Patients who are left with serious and long-term disabilities tend to receive the highest settlements and verdicts. That said, every case is different. Insurance companies have teams of insurance adjusters and defense attorneys working to minimize your case value.
Insurance companies often use multipliers when determining your case value. These formulas tend to favor the insurance companies, especially in severe injury cases. Hiring an experienced attorney is the best way to force the other side to see the big picture.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Medical Malpractice in St. Petersburg?
Your damages award should compensate for the full range of losses you have experienced. That includes economic damages and non-economic damages.
Those damages often include:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Lost future earning potential
- Physical therapy and specialized treatments
- Surgeries
- Skilled nursing care
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced life expectancy
- Diminished quality of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD and fear
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium in wrongful death cases
In rare cases where the provider’s acts are especially shocking or extremely reckless, punitive damages may be awarded as punishment.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Florida?
Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis. Like most personal injury law firms, our attorneys’ fees are based on the amount of compensation we recover in your case. You’ll agree to pay a set percentage when you decide to hire us.
Can Florida’s Shared Fault Law Impact My Right to Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?
While it might not seem possible, doctors and hospitals blame patients all the time. They might claim you failed to follow the doctor’s orders. They might even claim your injuries were caused by something unrelated to your medical care.
They can’t always prove it. That doesn’t stop them from trying to blame victims. If you’re being blamed, contact an experienced lawyer right away.
Under Florida law, victims lose their right to compensation if they’re more than 50% responsible for their own injuries. When they share even a slight amount of fault, their damages are reduced accordingly.
What Causes Most Medical Errors in St. Petersburg?
Some of the most common causes of medical malpractice include:
- Failure to order the correct diagnostic test
- Misinterpreting diagnostic tests, which can result in misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose
- Ignoring the results of diagnostic tests
- Charting or communication errors
- Failure to monitor a patient
- Failure to provide proper post-care instructions or follow-up
- Prescribing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage
- Failure to refer a patient to a specialist
- Failure to recognize symptoms
- Unsanitary conditions, which can lead to hospital-acquired infections
- Inadequate staffing
- Failure to obtain informed consent
- Failure to take a full patient history
- Anesthesia errors
- Premature discharge from a hospital
- Undertreatment or overtreatment
Today, many medical errors occur because hospitals are understaffed. When healthcare workers are overworked and exhausted, they tend to make mistakes more often. When they do, it’s patients who suffer.
Medical errors can be difficult to identify when you don’t have much medical training. If you’re dealing with unexpected pain, have developed new symptoms, or continue to have health issues, you may have been a victim of medical negligence. When in doubt, consult an experienced lawyer who can review your case and evaluate your options.
What Legal Elements Do I Have to Prove to Win a Medical Malpractice Case?
Medical malpractice cases are almost always complicated. Even when liability seems clear, you’ll have to prove certain elements.
Those legal elements include:
- You were a patient, so the defendant owed you a duty of care
- The professional standard of care that applied in your case
- Your medical provider breached the standard of care
- That breach or mistake, caused you to suffer some type of harm
- The specific damages you suffered as a result
Certain pre-filing requirements also apply in medical malpractice cases. Before taking legal action, you’ll need an opinion from a medical expert.
Our attorneys have decades of experience handling complicated medical malpractice claims. We have relationships with experts who can testify on your behalf. Contact us today to learn more.
Who is Liable for My Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case?
Any medical provider who deviates from the standard of care can be liable for malpractice.
At Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, we handle all types of medical malpractice claims, including those involving:
- Hospitals and medical facilities
- Surgeons
- Anesthesiologists
- ER doctors
- Family physicians and general practitioners
- Specialists, including OBG-YNs, cardiologists, neurologists, optometrists and oncologists
- Pharmacies and pharmacists
- Lab technicians
- Nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- Radiologists
- Dentists
- Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- Manufacturers of defective medical devices or prescription drugs
Are you wondering whether you have a valid medical malpractice case? Call our St. Petersburg medical malpractice attorneys today. We offer free case reviews, so there’s no risk in learning about your legal options.
How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Florida?
In Florida, you have two years to file a lawsuit. The statute of limitations typically starts to run on the date of the medical error. However, there are some exceptions.
You might not realize that you’ve been a victim until some time has passed. If that’s the case, you must take legal action within two years of the date you knew or reasonably should have known about the mistake.
A four-year statute of repose also applies. Even if you haven’t discovered the mistake for years, you cannot sue for damages after four years have passed.
Contact a St. Petersburg Medical Malpractice Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
Are you wondering whether you have a valid medical malpractice case? Call a St. Petersburg medical malpractice lawyer for help today. At Graves Thomas Rotunda Injury Law Group, your consultation is always completely free of charge.