Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys Fighting for You
When you seek medical treatment, you trust healthcare professionals to provide a standard of care that promotes healing. Unfortunately, medical errors are alarmingly common. According to the Institute of Medicine, nearly 100,000 people die each year due to preventable medical mistakes, yet fewer than 10% of these incidents ever result in a malpractice claim.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury due to a doctor, hospital, or nurse's negligence, you need a powerful legal advocate in your corner. At The Cochran Firm, our medical malpractice lawyers have the resources, medical experts, and trial experience to hold negligent providers accountable and secure the full compensation you deserve.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice happens when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in injury or death. Not every mistake is malpractice, but every malpractice case involves negligence that a court or jury may determine was a clear deviation from what a skilled provider would have done. If you were hurt by a surgeon, an emergency room team, or a hospital's policies, our medical malpractice lawyers can review your situation in a free consultation and let you know whether you have a case.
Do I Have a Medical Malpractice Case?
Not every bad medical outcome qualifies as malpractice. Bad outcomes can result from recognized, unavoidable complications. To have a valid medical malpractice claim, four key elements must be proven:
- Duty of Care: A doctor-patient relationship existed, establishing a legal duty for the provider to treat you according to a professional standard of care.
- Breach of Duty: The healthcare provider failed to meet that standard through a negligent act or omission.
- Causation: The provider's breach of duty directly caused your injury.
- Damages: You suffered measurable harm, including additional medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering.
Proving these elements requires complex medical evidence and expert testimony. The Cochran Firm has in-house nurses and physicians to review your records, along with a vast network of top medical experts nationwide to build a compelling case on your behalf.
Medical Malpractice vs. Medical Negligence: What's the Difference?
People often use these terms interchangeably, but they are different. Medical negligence occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care. However, this alone does not always lead to a lawsuit. Medical malpractice occurs when that negligence directly harms a patient, such as causing a new injury, worsening an illness, or even death. So, while every malpractice claim involves negligence, not every case of negligence is enough for a malpractice claim. If you are unsure which applies to your situation, a medical negligence attorney at The Cochran Firm can review your records and help you understand your options for seeking compensation.
Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle
Medical negligence can occur in any healthcare setting, from emergency rooms to specialized surgical centers. As a national leader in personal injury law, The Cochran Firm handles a wide range of medical malpractice claims, including:
| Types of Malpractice | What It Involves |
| Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis | Failing to identify conditions like cancer, heart attacks, or strokes in a timely manner |
| Surgical Errors | Operating on the wrong site, leaving instruments inside the body, or causing preventable organ damage |
| Birth Injuries | Negligence during labor and delivery resulting in conditions like cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy |
| Medication Errors | Administering the wrong drug, incorrect dosage, or ignoring dangerous drug interactions |
| Anesthesia Errors | Improper dosing or failure to monitor vital signs during surgery |
| Emergency Room Negligence | Misreading charts, premature discharge, or failure to order necessary diagnostic tests |
| Wrongful Death | When a healthcare provider's negligence results in the loss of a loved one |
Malpractice Claim or Medical Device Lawsuit: What’s the Difference?
Not every harmful medical outcome results from a provider’s mistake. Sometimes, an injury happens because of a defective implant, pump, or surgical device, not because of anything the doctor or hospital did wrong. This difference is important. If a faulty product is to blame, you would usually file a medical device lawsuit against the manufacturer. If the problem were a provider’s error, it would be a medical malpractice claim against the doctor or hospital. Our attorneys handle both types of cases. If your situation involves both a negligent provider and a defective device, we can pursue claims against everyone responsible at the same time.
If you do not see your specific situation listed, contact us. Our attorneys handle the full spectrum of medical negligence claims.
Speak With The Cochran Firm About Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex and high-stakes personal injury claims in the legal system. Hospitals, doctors, and their insurers have experienced defense teams working to minimize or deny your claim from the moment an error occurs. You need a firm that has the resources, expertise, and national reach to fight back.
The Cochran Firm has been fighting for injured patients for over 50 years. With 28 office locations across the United States, our collaborative network of Board-Certified medical malpractice attorneys brings national strength and local expertise to every case. We regularly deploy teams of attorneys from multiple offices to work on complex cases at no additional cost to you. Our proven track record includes hundreds of millions of dollars recovered in verdicts and settlements for victims of surgical errors, misdiagnosis, birth injuries, and more.
We handle all medical malpractice claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win. Call 1-800-THE-FIRM or schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. The Firm’s call center is available 24/7 to hear your case.
