Top Reasons Seattle Patients File Medical Malpractice Claims

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When you seek medical care in the Seattle area, you place your trust in healthcare professionals to provide competent, careful treatment. Unfortunately, even in our region's highly regarded medical facilities, preventable errors occur that can cause serious harm to patients. Understanding the most common reasons patients file medical malpractice claims can help you recognize when negligence may have occurred and when it's time to seek legal guidance.

At Lindquist & Kornfeld, we have represented victims of medical negligence throughout the Seattle area for decades. Our experienced attorneys understand the devastating impact that medical errors can have on patients and their families, and we're committed to holding negligent healthcare providers accountable.

What Constitutes Medical Malpractice in Washington?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in injury or harm to a patient. In Washington State, successfully pursuing a medical malpractice claim requires proving several key elements: that a doctor-patient relationship existed, that the provider breached the standard of care, that this breach directly caused your injury, and that you suffered measurable damages as a result.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Seattle

Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis

One of the most frequent causes of medical malpractice claims involves diagnostic errors. When a healthcare provider fails to correctly identify a medical condition or takes too long to reach an accurate diagnosis, patients may lose critical treatment windows. Conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and infections require prompt diagnosis and treatment. A delayed or incorrect diagnosis can allow these serious conditions to progress, sometimes with devastating or fatal consequences.

Surgical Errors

Surgical mistakes can range from relatively minor complications to catastrophic, life-altering injuries. Common surgical errors include operating on the wrong body part or patient, leaving surgical instruments or sponges inside the body, damaging surrounding organs or tissues, and failing to properly monitor patients during or after surgery. These errors violate established surgical protocols and can result in severe complications, additional surgeries, infections, and permanent disability.

Medication Errors

Prescription and medication administration mistakes are alarmingly common in healthcare settings. These errors may involve prescribing the wrong medication, administering incorrect dosages, failing to recognize dangerous drug interactions, or neglecting to account for patient allergies. Even a single medication error can trigger serious medical complications, adverse reactions, or death.

Birth Injuries

Obstetric negligence during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can have lifelong consequences for both mother and child. Healthcare providers must carefully monitor fetal distress, respond appropriately to complications, and make timely decisions about interventions such as emergency cesarean sections. Common birth injuries resulting from medical negligence include cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, oxygen deprivation, brain damage, and injuries from improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors.

Anesthesia Complications

Anesthesia errors require particular attention due to their potential for catastrophic outcomes. Mistakes in anesthesia administration can lead to brain damage, cardiac arrest, stroke, or even death. Anesthesiologists must carefully calculate dosages, monitor patients throughout procedures, and respond quickly to any complications. Failure to meet these standards can constitute medical malpractice.

Failure to Treat or Monitor

Even when a correct diagnosis is made, healthcare providers can be negligent if they fail to provide appropriate treatment or adequately monitor a patient's condition. This includes failing to follow up on test results, not ordering necessary tests, discharging patients prematurely, or failing to recognize and respond to complications.

The Impact of Medical Malpractice

The consequences of medical negligence extend far beyond the initial injury. Victims often face mounting medical bills for corrective treatments, lost wages from missed work, long-term or permanent disabilities, chronic pain and suffering, and significant emotional trauma. For families who lose loved ones due to medical malpractice, the emotional and financial devastation can be overwhelming.

Washington's Medical Malpractice Laws

In Washington State, patients generally have three years from the date of injury to file a medical malpractice claim, though the discovery rule may extend this timeline in certain circumstances. Given the complexity of these cases and the strict deadlines involved, it's crucial to consult with an experienced attorney as soon as you suspect medical negligence occurred.

Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex areas of personal injury law. They require extensive investigation, comprehensive medical record review, testimony from expert witnesses, and a deep understanding of both medical standards and legal procedures. Insurance companies and healthcare institutions typically have substantial resources to defend against these claims, making skilled legal representation essential.

How Lindquist & Kornfeld Can Help

At Lindquist & Kornfeld, we bring extensive experience and resources to every medical malpractice case we handle. Our firm has successfully recovered millions of dollars for victims of medical negligence, including significant verdicts and settlements involving brain injuries, birth injuries, and other catastrophic harm caused by substandard medical care.

Attorney Rob Kornfeld has personal experience with serious injury and recovery, having undergone 12 surgeries following a traumatic brain injury. This firsthand understanding of what injury victims face informs our compassionate, client-focused approach. We understand that you're not just a case number—you're a person whose life has been profoundly affected by someone else's negligence.

Take Action to Protect Your Rights

If you believe you or a loved one has been harmed by medical negligence, time is of the essence. Early consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney can help preserve critical evidence, protect your legal rights, and ensure your case is filed within Washington's statute of limitations.

Don't let the complexity of medical malpractice law prevent you from seeking the justice and compensation you deserve. The attorneys at Lindquist & Kornfeld are ready to evaluate your case, answer your questions, and fight for the accountability and recovery you need to move forward with your life.

Contact us online or dial (425) 657-5255 now to schedule a free consultation. We treat our clients like family and are committed to helping you navigate this difficult time with compassion, expertise, and dedicated advocacy. Let us put our extensive experience to work for you.