When you enter a doctor’s office or hospital, you are placing your health in the hands of seemingly experienced professionals. Still, throughout Southern Minnesota and the Minneapolis area, medical malpractice is a serious issue. The legal doctrine of medical malpractice covers a wide variety of different mistakes and errors that are made in doctor’s offices, hospitals, dentist’s offices, clinics, and all types of medical facilities and institutions. The reality is that careless, negligent actions by a doctor, nurse, or hospital worker may change your life forever.
When you or a loved one has been injured by medical malpractice, you need an experienced team on your side to protect your rights and fight for your compensation. While recovery takes time, the Minneapolis medical malpractice lawyers at Knutson + Casey are ready to defend you. Attorney Randy Knutson has more than 29 years of experience in handling medical malpractice cases and personal injury law, and we have helped thousands of clients in the Southern Minnesota area.
Because medical malpractice encompasses a wide variety of both offenses and perpetrators, that means there is also a wide variety of potential liable parties. Medical malpractice claims are very complex, mostly because of the sheer amount of medical professionals or entities that could potentially be at fault. In most medical malpractice cases, claims may be brought against one or more of the following:
Furthermore, the state of Minnesota has requirements that must be met prior to the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit.
In Minnesota, the statute of limitations to file a medical malpractice claim is four years from the actual date of the injury caused by the medical error. If you don’t file your medical malpractice lawsuit within the four year time frame, you will, in most cases, lose the right to pursue damages and compensation.
The second requirement for any medical malpractice lawsuit to enter into the “certification of expert review” process. In any Minnesota medical malpractice lawsuit where mistakes, errors, or failures to cure claims are alleged against a healthcare provider, a qualified medical expert is required to provide testimony. In these cases, you will have to submit an affidavit stating the details of claim have been reviewed with the attorney along with the qualified medical expert, along with an expert opinion. The opinion will have to show the elements of negligence, demonstrating that there was at least one healthcare provider who deviated from proper procedure regarding the medical standard of care to treat the injured party, and harm was caused to the injured party in the process. The affidavit and expert review must be filed within 90 days of the injured party filing suit.
Once your lawsuit is filed, you may then begin the process of determining the value of your potential case. It’s important to understand that the value of your case is highly dependent on the facts and circumstances surrounding it. Moreover, medical malpractice claims are notoriously complex, requiring the services of experts, the testimony of numerous parties, and accounting of all your damages and medical records. Still, with our experienced team of medical malpractice lawyers on your side, you can rest assured that your case will be given the attention it deserves.
In medical malpractice cases, if you can successfully prove that a medical professional was negligent and that the negligence caused your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for those injuries, including the following damages:
Unlike some states, Minnesota does not place a cap, or maximum amount, of damages that an injured party may receive. Consequently, if you want to get the best possible result in your medical malpractice case, you need to retain the best possible Minneapolis medical malpractice lawyer to represent you in your action.
When facing injuries suffered because of medical malpractice, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed and confused, especially if your injuries are serious. At Knutson + Casey, our medical malpractice attorneys simplify everything so you can focus on your recovery, rather than worry about your case. If you believe you have been the victim of medical malpractice injuries that occurred in Minneapolis or Southern Minnesota, contact us for a free initial consultation by calling our office at (507) 344-8888 or filling out our contact form.