Florida Hospital Malpractice Attorney
When you need treatment, surgery, or emergency attention in a hospital, you want to trust that your doctors and medical staff are providing the best care. Unfortunately, medical malpractice in a hospital setting is more common than you might think. If you or a loved one was injured in a Florida hospital by a medical error, a hospital malpractice lawyer at Freedland Harwin Valori Gander can help you seek justice.
Written and edited by our team of expert legal content writers and reviewed and approved by Daniel Harwin
- Content last updated on:
- October 23, 2024
Table of Contents
- How Do You Sue a Hospital in Florida?
- Examples of Hospital Negligence
- Why You Should Hire FHVG To Handle Your Hospital Malpractice Lawsuit
- Hospitals in Florida That Have Protection Against Negligence Lawsuits
- Important Florida Statutes To Know About Medical Malpractice
- What Compensation Can You Recover From a Successful Hospital Lawsuit?
- What To Do if You Suspect Hospital Negligence: Contact a Hospital Malpractice Lawyer at FHVG
While you might assume physicians and hospital staff always provide the highest-quality care to their patients, studies have shown that medical errors are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Even a seemingly small mistake can lead to serious consequences that permanently change a patient’s life.
If you suffered harm in a Florida hospital, cosmetic surgery facility, or other medical center because a health care professional failed to provide the standard level of care, our hospital malpractice attorneys at Freedland Harwin Valori Gander can help you claim the compensation you deserve. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our South Florida medical malpractice legal team.
How Do You Sue a Hospital in Florida?
Suing a Florida hospital is a complex process that involves:
- Proving a medical error occurred
- Linking negligence or malpractice directly to an injury
- Identifying and valuing damages
- Filing a hospital malpractice lawsuit
A hospital can be held liable for the negligence of its employees. The doctrine of vicarious liability holds employers legally responsible for the negligent actions of their employees.
Malpractice victims must show that they suffered an injury because a doctor, nurse, or other provider employed by the hospital failed to meet the duty of care. If a patient receives care below the standard for their particular procedure, treatment, or circumstance, the hospital may be liable for damages.
A hospital may also be held responsible if the malpractice resulted from its acts or administration. Some examples include poor oversight, negligent hiring, understaffing, or inadequate procedures.
Taking on a hospital or big health care company can be overwhelming without the right support. Working with experienced hospital negligence attorneys can help you navigate the legal process and take the right steps to secure a favorable settlement or verdict. Call us to learn how we can help you seek the maximum recovery for your damages.
We bring many years of experience in handling medical malpractice cases against some of the largest hospital systems, including;
- HCA
- Tenet
- Baptist
- Ascension Health
- South Broward Hospital District d/b/a Memorial Healthcare System
- North Broward Hospital District d/b/a Broward Health
- Bethesda Hospital
- Florida University Hospital
- HCA Westside Regional Medical Center
- HCA Kendall
- HCA Aventura Hospital
- HCA Florida Mercy Hospital
- Mt. Sinai Medical Center and many others.
We have handled cases all over the state of Florida and understand how these large systems defend cases.
When a prospective plaintiff is investigating a case, hiring a firm that understands the physician-staffing companies that hire many physicians who work in these hospital systems is also important. We have obtained numerous significant jury verdicts, arbitration awards, and settlements against these hospital and physician staffing companies.
Examples of Hospital Negligence
There are several reasons to sue a hospital, surgical center, or other health care facility. The following are some examples of hospital negligence that could result in legal action.
1. Communication Failures
When medical team members communicate poorly, mistakes can happen. Information must be clear, accurate, and timely in a hospital setting. In our experience, many medical malpractice cases stem from healthcare providers failing to communicate with one another. Some examples of communication failures include the following:
- Failure to record a patient’s allergy to a particular medication
- Failure of a nurse to call the doctor when a patient’s condition worsens
- Failure to communicate medication dosing or time administered
- Failure to report a critical laboratory value
- Failure to communicate aspects of the patient’s past medical history
2. Diagnostic Mistakes
If a physician or hospital employee does not order the proper diagnostic procedures, it often leads to a misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or failure to diagnose the patient’s condition altogether. For example:
- Failure to recognize a baby is in distress during labor or delivery
- Failure to analyze blood test results before a procedure
- Failure to order MRI scans or other medical diagnostic scans
- Failure to interpret or assess an x-ray or mammogram
- Failure to appropriately interpret an EKG
3. Lack of Proper Procedures
Hospitals need effective policies to ensure consistency and safety. If a doctor or staff member does not follow protocols or the facility lacks proper procedures, it could result in hospital negligence. At Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, we have decades of experience in hiring experts who specialize in hospital administration and review a hospital’s procedures to determine if they meet the standard of care. We have obtained significant verdicts and settlements when hospitals did not have the necessary policies and procedures in place.
Some examples of improper procedures include:
- Failure to provide care instructions when discharging a cosmetic surgery patient
- Failure to ask the right questions when evaluating a prospective patient
- Failure to use a medical device properly during a procedure
- Failure to appropriately monitor patients when giving high-alert medications
4. Staffing Issues
It’s common for hospitals to try to save money by cutting staff. However, when understaffing interferes with the level of care provided to patients, it could be negligent. Examples include:
- Insufficient hospital staff to handle the volume of patients
- Failure to hire adequate staff for the needs of the hospital
- Medical errors from overworked hospital staff members
Hospitals are also responsible for ensuring that they adequately credential the physicians that have privileges to practice medicine at their institution. We have experience and have handled some of the country’s most significant negligent credentialing cases. It is important to hire a law firm that understands the law and knows the type of discovery that should be done to discover whether a physician was properly credentialed.
If the care received in a hospital was below industry standards and you suffered an injury because of it, Freedland Harwin Valori Gander has the industry knowledge and experience to fight for justice. You may also qualify to file a wrongful death lawsuit if you lost a loved one due to hospital negligence. Get started on your case today with a free consultation.
Why You Should Hire FHVG To Handle Your Hospital Malpractice Lawsuit
Freedland Harwin Valori Gander has over 20 years of experience in medical malpractice, including Florida hospital negligence cases, and can help you get the financial support you need and deserve.
Our award-winning law firm offers the following:
- Skilled attorneys who have a unique perspective, having worked on the other side to defend medical providers
- Passionate legal professionals who can handle big health care corporations and cases with multiple defendants
- Direct access to a firm partner for every client throughout the legal process
We have secured over $2.6 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Some highlights include the following:
- A $24.5 million verdict for the family of a woman who died during childbirth due to a lack of proper safety protocols
- A $15.2 million arbitration award for a woman who suffered a stroke during childbirth
- A $10 million settlement for a man who suffered a brain injury due to a lack of proper safety protocols
- A $9 million settlement on behalf of a family after a young woman was discharged from the hospital with signs and symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage and subsequently died.
At Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, our clients are more than just numbers. We treat every client like family and give each case the personal attention it deserves. Here’s what our clients have to say:
- “They changed my life and still check on me.” – Larry
- “[Dan] never made me feel that it was about the money… I really believe that they’re helping from their hearts… from a really good place.” – Bill
Hospitals in Florida That Have Protection Against Negligence Lawsuits
Holding a hospital accountable for negligence can be challenging. Sovereign immunity is a legal doctrine providing that a state or government department is immune from being sued without its consent. If the state or government agency owns or operates a hospital, the facility could be protected by sovereign immunity, making it much more difficult to take legal action.
In particular, patients’ ability to hold government-owned hospitals accountable for malpractice may be limited. Additionally, there are limits on the amount of compensation patients can receive.
Some Florida hospitals that have protection against malpractice and negligence lawsuits include the following:
- Veterans Health Administration hospitals
- University of Florida Health hospitals
- University of South Florida Health hospitals
- Broward Health hospitals
- Lee Health hospitals
- Memorial Hospital
- Halifax Health
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital
- Jackson Health System
While these hospitals may have sovereign immunity, Florida law generally waives this protection and make it possible to sue the medical facility, with some significant limitations. Schedule a free consultation with our team to see if you qualify to bring a hospital malpractice lawsuit and what you can expect. Our firm has had a lot of success in bringing cases against these systems, oftentimes by doing our due diligence and finding private physicians who do not share the hospitals’ sovereign immunity.
Important Florida Statutes To Know About Medical Malpractice
If you are considering a hospital negligence lawsuit in Florida, here is crucial information you should know about Florida malpractice laws:
- Statute of limitations: Malpractice victims generally have two years from the date of the injury to bring a legal claim.
- Sovereign immunity damage caps: The government agency cannot pay a claim by one person exceeding $200,000 or combined claims for the same incident that exceeds $300,000.
What Compensation Can You Recover From a Successful Hospital Lawsuit?
To understand what your claim may be worth, call to schedule a free consultation with our team of hospital malpractice lawyers. Typically, victims of hospital negligence can bring a lawsuit to recover the following damages:
- Medical bills
- Cost of future medical care
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Inconvenience
What To Do if You Suspect Hospital Negligence: Contact a Hospital Malpractice Lawyer at FHVG
If medical malpractice at a hospital harmed you or a loved one, don’t let hospital administrators intimidate or discourage you from pursuing damages. Put our 20+ years of experience to work for you.
Call our skilled Florida hospital lawsuit attorneys for a free consultation anytime, anywhere. Our medical malpractice law firm in Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables, Florida, handles cases across the state and nation, ensuring comprehensive support for your legal needs.
free consultation anytime, anywhere.
ALL FIELDS REQUIRED
- ANESTHESIA & PACU ERRORS
- BIRTH TRAUMA
- EMERGENCY ROOM MISTAKES
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE OR MISDIAGNOSIS – CANCER
- FAILURE OR DELAY IN DIAGNOSIS OF SEPSIS
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT GESTATIONAL DIABETES
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCER
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE HEART ATTACK
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE OR TREAT AORTIC DISSECTION
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PNEUMONIA
- FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PULMONARY EMBOLISM
- FAILURE TO TREAT STROKE
- HOSPITAL MALPRACTICE
- INTRAVENOUS INFILTRATION
- MEDICATION ERRORS
- MEDICATION OVERDOSE
- MISDIAGNOSIS
- NEGLIGENT FETAL MONITORING
- OB/GYN ERRORS
- PLASTIC SURGERY ERRORS
- PREOPERATIVE CLEARANCE ERROR
- RADIOLOGY ERRORS
- SPINE SURGERY MISTAKES
- STILLBIRTH & MISCARRIAGE MALPRACTICE
- SURGERY CENTER ERRORS
- SURGICAL ERRORS
- TYPES OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWSUITS
CASE RESULTS
TESTIMONIALS
999 Ponce De Leon Blvd
Suite 1030
Coral Gables, FL 33134
