Our Proven Success in Medical Malpractice Cases
Medical malpractice cases are complex; they require the skilled touch of
an attorney who has the experience you need. At our firm, we do more than
just talk the talk; we are proven courtroom warriors who advocate successfully
on behalf of our clients. From birth injuries to the misdiagnosis of cancer,
you can count on us to represent your best interests.
Just a few examples of our success throughout the years:
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$17 Million – A record settlement over failure to treat a pregnant mother’s
routine infection, which became septic and resulted in severe brain injury
to her baby. This is believed to be the largest medical malpractice recovery,
verdict or settlement, in California history (2019).
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$14 Million – Surgical error at a California University hospital involving a
3-day-old baby who suffered brain injuries when an insufflation needle
was placed in the umbilical vein, sending gas to the heart and brain.
This was the largest medical malpractice settlement in California at the
time (2018).
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$11.4 Million – Providers failed to monitor fetus during important moments before
birth, and failed to timely identify fetal distress, resulting in profound
brain injury and cerebral palsy. At the time, this was the largest birth
injury settlement in California (2010).
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$11 Million – Premature triples suffered blindness, partial loss of vision,
and mild loss of vision due to retinopathy of prematurity. We argued that
the neonatologists and pediatrician should have been quicker to diagnose
the issue and treat the condition before permanent damage was caused.
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$9.96 Million – At the time of its conclusion, this was the largest medical malpractice
settlement in the history of CA. A 38-year-old executive stopped at a
UCSF clinic claiming he was suffering from chest tightness. He died 7
days later.
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$8.9 Million - Record trial judgement involving improper use of vacuum extraction and
failure to timely deliver a baby (1985).
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$7.6 Million - An 18-year-old woman was rendered quadriplegic during radiation treatment
for cancer she had suffered as a child. This case was the largest jury
verdict in the world in 1978 and was featured on
Walter Cronkite's 6 o'clock news.
To learn more about our victories throughout the years,
browse our online case results.
Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle
We can handle cases where negligence was tied to a physician, surgeon,
dentist, nurse, psychiatrists, pharmacist, or more. These professionals
are all held to a high standard of conduct to protect their patients;
should they ever fail to uphold that standard, they may be held liable
for their actions.
Our firm can handle a wide variety of medical malpractice cases, such as:
- Birth and Neonatal injuries
- Pediatric meningitis
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to diagnose
- Radiation injuries
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical errors
- Emergency room errors
- Suicide from dangerous drugs
The Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice Claims in California
If you are considering filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in California
it's important to note that, no matter the type of injury suffered, you
have a limited amount of time to file your claim. California law allows
the injured person to file a lawsuit within
one year from the date the injury was discovered, or should have been discovered, or within
three years from the date the injury took place, whichever comes first.
The only exception to this rule is in cases where a foreign object, like
a sponge or surgical instrument, was left inside the patient's body. The
one-year discover rule still applies, however, there is no general time
limit preventing the victim from, for example, filing a lawsuit ten years
after the surgery if the foreign object wasn't discovered until recently.
Since medical malpractice lawsuits have such a short statute of limitations
it's essential that you contact our law firm as soon as you suspect medical
negligence. Our team of experienced, hard-working attorneys can investigate
the details of your claim to see if you are a victim of medical malpractice.
Determining If You Have Grounds to File a Lawsuit
A few general factors provide the framework for determining whether you
have received negligent medical care, and if it may be possible to recover
in a malpractice lawsuit. Importantly, you must establish that the health
care worker, whether a doctor, nurse or other care provider owes you a
“duty of care.”
A friend’s advice not to seek treatment, or to pursue a particular
remedy for your ailment – even if they are in the medical field
– is generally not sufficient.
On the other hand, this relationship doesn’t depend on obtaining
medical care in a physical office; for example, a drive-through and other
temporary health clinic where medical advice and treatment is delivered
may be sufficient to establish a doctor-patient relationship requiring
a heightened standard of care.
A successful medical malpractice action will show that a the health care
provider owed the patient a standard of care (based on the specific health
care professional’s job – whether a nurse, doctor, anesthesiologist,
etc.), and that the health care provider
breached (failed to meet) that standard of care.
The breach is a failure to do what is expected of that position. Importantly,
this breach must cause harm. If the health care worker makes a mistake,
or otherwise acts negligently, and you are not hurt as a result, then
it is unlikely you will have a strong case. However, if you suffer significant
harm due to a medical error, you should contact a medical malpractice
attorney at once.
Call today to learn how we can help you: (888) 831-8448.
