If you or a loved one recently underwent spinal surgery that incurred additional injuries or required additional surgeries, a Los Angeles spinal surgeries lawyer can help. Schedule a free case review to discuss your medical malpractice case when you call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 970-4884.
Undergoing Spinal Surgery
A medical malpractice case may start in a doctor’s office before a spinal surgery occurs.
If a doctor did not correctly diagnose the cause of your back pain but recommended you for unnecessary or harmful surgery, you may have a case. Doctors who fail to provide appropriate treatment or surgeons who make mistakes during a procedure may be liable.
Even a diagnosis or surgery that did not happen soon enough and led to your pain and suffering may be grounds for medical malpractice. Misuse of tools or the wrong medicine can all contribute to your post-surgery issues. Some mistakes can even kill a loved one during surgery or afterward.
Risks of Spinal Surgery
According to the Journal of Neurosurgery, there are two main types of complications after spinal surgery. Complications can be catastrophic, or non-catastrophic.
Catastrophic complications of spinal surgery may include a “spinal cord injury,” “anoxic or hypoxic brain injuries,” or even death. While all other complications aside from these are considered non-catastrophic, that does not mean that they come without the risk of additional pain and injuries, as well as financial costs.
The risks of spinal surgeries depend on the type of procedure recommended by your doctor for your unique condition. Each type of back surgery serves a different purpose, has different procedures and risks, as well as expected recovery time. In some cases, the patient receiving the surgery may never fully recover from something like chronic back pain. Prolonged back pain and other symptoms may be a sign of malpractice, and a lawyer can help you determine if a doctor was negligent.
When you experience complications from spinal surgery, having a legal team to represent your interests can go a long way towards protecting your rights for future treatment. Working with a Los Angeles spinal surgeries lawyer can help you maintain your dignity and independence while working towards a full recovery: both physically and financially.
Legal Options for Spinal Surgery Complications
A Los Angeles spinal surgeries lawyer can explore your options for compensation of lost wages and pain and suffering. A lawyer can work with insurance companies to agree on a settlement for the expenses caused by a doctor’s negligence. A lawyer can even represent you in a civil lawsuit if the parties cannot reach an agreement. When working with our malpractice lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, you will work with people who understand medical malpractice lawsuits in California and who will ease the burden of the litigation process.
It is best to file your medical malpractice lawsuit as soon as possible since the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §340.5 dictates the statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases. Patients have up to three years from the original date of when the injury took place to file a suit, or they one year to file a claim after discovering any injuries related to their spinal surgery, whichever comes first.
Additionally, working with a lawyer can help you avoid the nuances of the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §364. This indicates that all medical malpractice lawsuits must be filed with the acting medical professional, who must be informed at least 90 days in advance of the desired settlement date.
For California medical malpractice cases, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff. You must be able to show that you had an established professional relationship with the medical professional, that they did not follow the standard of care to you, and that your injuries caused suffering or death. Of course, your damages can be economic and non-economic.
Economic Awards
Economic awards in a medical malpractice case will usually concern things that can be itemized. You might seek both short-term emergency healthcare costs, in addition to long-term follow-up treatment for your injuries. You will want to consider all of your current and future economic losses related to your injury.
Additional economic awards include loss of ability to return to work, loss of income from missed wages, as well as losing the potential to get another job.
Economic awards related to your income may cover everything up to the maximum age that you would normally be expected to work.
Non-Economic Awards
It is important to note that $250,000 is the limit for non-economic awards in a case of medical malpractice, but it is possible to include them in a lawsuit. This is how you would quantify things like emotional pain and suffering. Consequently, there may be some lifestyle changes involved in non-economic awards, especially if your spinal surgeries resulted in something like a permanent paralysis or disability.
For a free legal consultation with a Spinal Surgeries Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we may be able to help you hold all negligent parties accountable for their actions. You do not have to deal with filing and pursuing a medical malpractice case alone.
Call our team to work with a Los Angeles spinal surgeries lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 970-4884.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
