Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

Two legal terms you have probably heard are medical negligence and medical malpractice. These terms are related but have some distinct characteristics. If you’ve been injured while seeking medical treatment, it’s important that you know the difference between the two.
In simplest terms, medical negligence is a negligent act or failure to act by a medical professional. For instance, if your physician prescribes you the wrong prescription, that’s medical negligence. You’d be surprised to know how often medical negligence occurs in our hospitals. However, medical negligence doesn’t necessarily lead to medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice is negligence on the part of a medical professional that leads to harm, injury, or death. Can you spot the distinction? Using our example from before, if taking the wrong prescription had no ill effects on your health, then your physician was only guilty of medical negligence. However, if taking that medication led to harm or injury, then your physician may be subject to medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice cases are complex and can take a long time to prove. It is in the best interests of the hospital to fight your claim, which is why you should not try to take them on alone. At Cofman Townsley, we have years of experience representing medical malpractice victims in the St. Louis area, and we’re ready to help you too. Give us a call today for a free evaluation of your claim. We’ll investigate your case and determine the true cause of your injuries. Then we’ll fight to hold whoever is responsible accountable.