Virginia Attorney Richard Serpe is currently accepting cases involving those who have been the victims of medical malpractice. Prescription errors, the failure to make a timely diagnosis, birth injuries due to poor practice and serious conditions that were misdiagnosed are common occurrences, and the victims of these errors deserve experienced and dedicated legal counsel. If you or any of your loved ones have been adversely affected by the actions of a medical professional, contact Richard Serpe for a free case assessment today.
When the sick or injured go to see a doctor, they are doing so under the assumption that their needs will be seen to by competent and experienced professionals. For the most part, those assumptions are correct. The vast majority of doctors, surgeons and pharmacists will make the right diagnosis, flawlessly execute complicated surgical procedures, or make sure that the right medications are properly used.
Most medical professionals have their actions tightly regulated by their respective state medical boards, which make certain that the standards of medicine are both kept high and adhered to by those that practice.
Unfortunately, the medical standards of the Commonwealth of Virginia have fallen behind, and it is the patients who are paying the price.
A 2003 article in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot detailed how the standards of the Virginia State Medical Board are so loose and poorly enforced that even doctors who have been found “grossly negligent” are allowed to keep their licenses and keep practicing medicine. In the three years since the article was published, changes to how the Medical Board regulates the practice of medicine have been negligible, and as a result, more and more Virginians are paying the price.
According to the National Practitioner Data Bank, there were 2,972 cases of medical malpractice wherein the offending doctor was made to pay damages between 1990 and 2004. That is an average of 212 cases of malpractice a year, or just over 4 a week.
Common Causes of Medical Malpractice
Medical Malpractice can be described as the failure of a medical professional to follow established guidelines, which results in patient injury.
Some of the more common causes of medical malpractice are:
Prescription Errors: With the thousands of drugs that are available for almost every conceivable ailment, it is almost inevitable that mistakes will be made when the prescriptions are filled. According to a study by the Institute of Medicine, an estimated 1.5 million patients are sickened, injured or killed by being prescribed the wrong medication.
Birth Injuries or Deaths: Birth injuries can be caused by any number of reasons, including misapplication of forceps or complications that result in a breech birth or caesarean section. The effects of the injuries can be both physical (as is the case with Erb’s Palsy) or can cause serious damage to the brain (cerebral palsy.)
Wrong Diagnosis: If a medical professional diagnoses what is easy instead of what is accurate, he should be made to answer for his decisions if the patient suffers as a result.
Missed or Late Diagnosis: If a doctor does not recognize a condition as serious, the results could be fatal. A medical professional who fails to correctly diagnose a disease or condition until it too late is not helping his patients. If cancer is found early, a patient stands a very good chance of recovery. But if a doctor fails to act on clear warning signs in a patient, he could be held liable if the cancer isn’t discovered until it’s too late.
Failure to Recognize a Developing Heart Attack or Stroke: People with no medical background aren’t expected to be able to tell the difference between a case of heartburn and a heart attack or the difference between a headache and a stroke. But doctors and nurses should be able to easily differentiate between the superficial and the serious.
Richard Serpe: Justice for All
If you have been the victim of medical malpractice, you should realize that you are not alone. And you should be sure to find an attorney that has successfully helped others in recovering damages against negligent doctors or pharmacists.
Virginians in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area know to call Richard Serpe.
With over two decades of legal practice, Richard Serpe has established himself as one of the most dedicated and effective attorneys in Virginia. With successful arguments before state and federal Courts, he has garnered a reputation among his peers as an attorney that handles difficult cases, and over twenty years of aggressive representation for his clients has led to Mr. Serpe being listed among The Best Lawyers in America as well as obtaining the highest possible peer review rating from Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Serpe has obtained fair and just compensation for Virginians of all walks of life who have been injured due to the negligence or incompetence of doctors.
In addition to using his own expertise and skill, Richard Serpe collaborates with some of the foremost medical experts in the country. Having the perspective and testimony of these professionals helps to make the suffering of his clients clear to judges, juries, and professional arbitrators.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to the negligence or incompetence of a doctor, surgeon, nurse or pharmacist, contact our offices for a free legal consultation today.