Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Every day, many cases are filed but not all of them receive compensation. The reason is that not all those who file medical negligence claims can prove carelessness on the part of the healthcare provider. In some cases, the court limits the compensation amount awarded to the related victims. Courts are meticulous when they talk about evaluating evidence. They require lawyers to present solid evidence for the cases they handle.
What about those who are deprived of their rights of safe health care? In such cases, the court can award punitive damages that are non-economic by nature aside from awarding compensatory damages. However, punitive damages are awarded in the type of lawsuits where the lawyer can provide solid evidence of misconduct by the medical doctor. In layman’s terms, the lawyer is required to prove that the doctor caused the harm to the patient on purpose.
If you are a patient and feel neglected during the medical treatment in the hospital or you were not treated properly during the emergency, then you can get in touch with a bona fide medical negligence lawyer in order to get assistance. The lawyer who specializes in dealing with medical cases can help you with the legal procedures if you choose to file a case. General lawyers, on the other hand, can also help you but they are not as competent as specialized lawyers are. So, it is better to hire a lawyer who specializes in dealing with these types of cases.
The purpose of punitive damages is to spur on reform the behavior of the opposing party and prevent them from making the same mistake down the road. No financial compensation is awarded in the lawsuit unlike those looking for compensatory damages.
In addition, the court can choose to award punitive damages in lawsuits where the compensatory damages is not enough to the mistake committed by the opposing party and to the injury sustained by the victim. The court can choose to punish the medical doctor in order to discourage them to make the same mistake in the future. As a result, they will be more careful while giving serious treatments to their patients down the road. This will also give patients peace of mind that they are going to be treated by a careful and responsible doctor.
Laws associated with punitive damages vary from one country to another. This means the amount of compensation you can get from the guilty party will be different based on the rules and regulations of that country.
If you or a loved one becomes a victim of medical malpractice, the first step to take is to consult with a reputable lawyer. Cooperation and constant communication are vital to be able to file the necessary lawsuit within the allowable statute of limitations.