You shouldn’t stand idle if you are a medical malpractice victim in Pittsburgh. Everyone deserves fair medical evaluation and treatment, yet when your healthcare provider deviates from the accepted standard of care, resulting in harm or injury, you are entitled to compensation for all your damages.
A Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyer can help you understand what you are entitled to based on the circumstances of your malpractice claim. Contact an attorney and take action right away! Here is what you should know about damages in medical malpractice lawsuits.
Medical Malpractice Damages
When you are the victim of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania, you are entitled to economic, non-economic, and punitive damages depending on the specifics of your case. Economic damages refer to quantifiable financial losses.
For example, the cost of your medical bills, lost wages, earning capacity, and any out-of-pocket expenses. These damages are the easiest to prove in court, and calculating them is also straightforward. However, you have to document them appropriately.
Non-economic damages are less tangible and more subjective. They refer to intangible damages such as the pain and suffering you’ve had to go through because of your injury caused by the healthcare provider’s negligence. Emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other negative experiences you’ve had due to the malpractice are also non-economic damages.
These types of damages aren’t easy to calculate and can vary from case to case. Yet, they are worth fighting for and proving in court since they are usually more valuable than economic damages. Proving these damages in court isn’t as straightforward as with economic damages since there will be more paperwork involved, and you might also need expert or standard witness testimonies that your lawyer can help you with.
In some instances, medical malpractice victims are also entitled to punitive damages if they suffer catastrophic injuries or the healthcare provider’s conduct is deemed reckless or willful. Punitive damages are an additional punishment for the at-fault party.
Pursuing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Pittsburgh
Suppose you pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit in Pittsburgh. In that case, it’s best to have a medical malpractice lawyer to ensure that you receive fair representation in court and get the compensation that you are entitled to for all your damages.
A lawyer can guide you in many ways. This includes preparing all the paperwork, gathering evidence, preparing expert witnesses, calculating damages, explaining all your legal options, and representing you in court.
The biggest issue in medical malpractice cases is proving negligence or reckless conduct. This is one of the most vital aspects of any malpractice lawsuit. Your lawyer can help you prove fault by working with third-party experts, also known as expert witnesses. For example, they can be other medical professionals that give expert testimonies regarding the standard of care your healthcare provider should have given to you.
These professionals don’t have to be direct eyewitnesses to the procedures you were subjected to in order to give testimony. They are experts in their fields who can give valid, unbiased statements regarding how the procedure should have been performed, what the outcome should have been, and other types of information.
With these statements, the judge or jury can make an informed decision about your case and whether your healthcare provider acted recklessly or negligently. But this is just one way a medical malpractice lawyer can help you pursue justice. Whatever you do, pursue your malpractice lawsuit for yourself and other patients, so they don’t have to suffer the way you did.