Medical Malpractice Attorneys: Understanding Damages Due to Negligence

Victims of medical malpractice and negligence should bring a lawsuit as soon as possible because it is very likely that they are entitled to compensation. Medical malpractice attorneys explain that there are many types of potential damages that could be awarded to plaintiffs. Meritorious lawsuits could allow an individual to receive economic and non-economic damages as well as punitive damages, which are generally used to punish an especially egregious action by the defendant. Although people are often entitled to compensation, we worry that many claims fall by the wayside because of specific time limitations in different jurisdictions.

Compensating Plaintiffs for Negligence

Juries frequently award plaintiffs both economic and non-economic compensatory damages. Medical malpractice attorneys explain economic damages as monies awarded to cover financial losses such as medical expenses, care expenses, and lost wages. Economic damages are frequently used to cover both the past and the future. Individuals who, because of negligence, can no longer work are entitled money damages for the time that they have already missed as well as future absence from their job. Medical malpractice attorneys explain non-economic damages as money that has been assessed for the injury itself. The types of recovery for non-economic damages are somewhat endless. Examples of these damages include psychological and physical harm, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, emotional distress, and many others. Finally, punitive damages are used to “teach the defendant a lesson,” and they are generally utilized in the case of some sort of wanton or reckless conduct.

Avoiding the Statute of Limitations

Following a medical negligence incident, individuals are afforded only a limited time period in which they can bring a lawsuit. Each jurisdiction generally will have a limitations period specified by statute. These limitations periods may vary depending on the type of malpractice and the state in which the negligence took place. Medical malpractice attorneys urge victims to seek legal assistance as soon as possible in order to avoid being left out in the cold without a legal remedy.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a family member have recently undergone surgery and have been the victim of medical malpractice or negligence, it is possible that you would like to speak with a professional. Please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Home Abuse – Does My Family Have a Case?

nursing home abuse and negeligence attorneys in nj and pa At the Mininno Law Office, we know from experience that it can be a difficult for a family to decide whether or not to investigate if a nursing home should be held responsible for injuries to a loved one. Furthermore, it can be quite disheartening at a later time when the law firm a family finally trusted to perform an investigation sends a letter indicating their disinterest. Based upon the experience of New Jersey nursing home abuse attorney Donald Browne, experienced personal injury attorneys and their law firms commonly reject claims of nursing home abuse that do have merit. Nursing home abuse and neglect cases have different characteristics and dynamics than other claims for personal injuries. Law firms either don’t understand how to analyze these cases, or decide they are too complicated to justify all of the necessary work and expense. However, an experienced nursing home abuse attorney like Donald Browne of the Mininno Law Office eagerly accepts the challenge.

Nursing Home Abuse Claims and the Statute of Limitations

A statute of limitations is a legal deadline by which a lawsuit must be filed. If a lawsuit is not filed by this deadline, an otherwise valid claim could be dismissed by the court. The statute for personal injury is generally two years from the date you knew, or should have known, that the nursing home’s conduct caused an injury. It can be a shorter or longer time period, depending upon what type of case you are pursuing, and in which court you are pursuing it.

Another issue with the statute is the “discovery rule.” Although it may be easy to figure out when it begins for an auto accident because the actual crash happened on a date that is easily identifiable, it is not always as easy to identify when it would begin and end for a nursing home abuse or neglect case. This is true because often times it is not one event that creates liability against a nursing home, but rather a series of mistakes that result in serious injuries to your loved one. Since the statue of limitations in any particular case is so fact specific, the best advice for any individual or family considering a lawsuit is to immediately contact a nursing home abuse attorney. After listening to the facts, the attorney should be able to advise as to the likelihood of a valid case, and when the statute would expire.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorney; Why Act Quickly?

Without specifically reviewing and analyzing the facts of your case, it is impossible to determine when the statue of limitations would expire. However, regardless of when the deadline to file a lawsuit may be, if you feel your family may have a lawsuit against a nursing home, you should contact Donald Browne immediately. There is a tremendous amount of information that needs to be collected, and the old adage “the sooner the better” certainly applies!

One example of important evidence that needs to be immediately collected in support of nursing home abuse and neglect case – photographs. Photographs are very important and should be taken immediately.

The earlier your family calls Donald Browne, the earlier your family and the Mininno Law Office can begin to work together and devise a plan to obtain all of the necessary information needed to start building your case. The only mistake your family can make is waiting too long to call and ask.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of negligent or abusive staff members at a nursing home or long term care facility, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Donald Browne is an experienced and hard working nursing home abuse attorney prepared to help you earn the compensation you and your loved one are entitled to. You may also call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Medical Advice from a Medical Malpractice Attorney

As a Medical Malpractice Attorney, I have dealt with and heard stories of my fair share of medical errors. One that comes up quite often is a doctor missing a diagnosis, or more accurately, failing to inform the patient of a diagnosis, and subsequently begin treatment.

new jersey philadelphia attorneys medical malpractice negligence legal advice We’ve all heard the phrase “no news is good news.” But when it comes to medical test results, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you get tests done and have to await results, follow up!!

Too often, doctors receive results that they do not disclose to patients, and diseases and disorders end up going untreated for months and even years at a time.
In order to avoid this dangerous and potentially fatal accident, be sure to follow up if you have not heard from your doctor regarding medical tests you underwent.

Negligence and Medical Malpractice is an unfortunate truth in the medical industry. Doctors work hard and can not be expected to be perfect. If there are certain measures we can take to protect ourselves from malpractice, those measures should be taken. And a simple phone call is nothing compared to what our doctors and surgeons do for us everyday.

Don’t Wait to Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered due to medical malpractice, please do not hesitate to contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation.
A two year statute of limitations could prohibit you from filing suit against a doctor that has done you harm.

Act quickly, and let the NJ and PA medical malpractice attorneys at the Mininno Law Office help you receive the compensation you deserve!
Call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Why New Jersey Should Extend the Time Limits of Its Statutes of Limitations

A statute of limitations is a law that effectively places a time limit on suing another party. While there are some important reasons for having statutes of limitations, there are also some good reasons why these time limits in New Jersey are too short. In New Jersey, the limitations on suits for Personal Injury, Negligence, Wrongful Death and Medical Malpractice are all two years after the discovery of the injury. The date of the discovery of the injury is included in the two year period. While at first two years may seem like a reasonable amount of time for some injuries, it certainly is not for many others.

Consider a hypothetical situation where a patient, with no family to act on his/her behalf, suffers from some kind of substantial medical malpractice that makes a short hospital visit into one taking months. This incapacitated patient discovered the malpractice as soon as it occurred, leaving him two years to bring a suit against the doctor or hospital. Because of the hospital stay and because this patient has no family to act on his/her behalf, s/he is left with very little time to bring a lawsuit, for which preparations can be time-consuming. Choosing the right lawyer in itself can be a difficult task and is the most important part of bringing a successful lawsuit. A victim, such as the one in this hypothetical, is left with little time to act, because of this short time period from the New Jersey statute of limitations.

In some states, these statutes of limitations are even shorter for medical malpractice than other types of professional malpractice suits, such as suing lawyers or financial advisors. New Jersey ought to do two things for its citizens. First, they must disseminate these laws to the public. Many people in New Jersey have no idea that a time limit exists on these types of law suits and, therefore, fail to bring them within a timely fashion. Second, the politicians should reconsider the time limits that these laws create. While total abolishment of the Statutes of Limitations would not be a perfect solution to this problem, extending the time limits to a more reasonable amount of time for a victimized party is necessary. It appears as though these limitations protect the party who has caused harm to another, rather than the other way around.

Free Legal Advice: Medical Malpractice