Contents

    Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Washington, D.C.

    Every day, people put their health and safety into the hands of medical professionals. When the standard of care isn’t met by those professionals, patients can be left with devastating injuries. If you’ve suffered harm as a result of medical negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help you balance the physical and economic damages you have experienced. You need a medical malpractice lawyer on your side.

    At Bertram & Murphy, we understand the unique challenges that victims of medical malpractice face. You might be struggling to pay your medical bills after being forced to take time off from work. You might be having trouble finding specialists to care for your injuries. Your injuries might also require future long-term care. You are likely suffering significant pain and mental distress.

    Our Washington, D.C. medical malpractice law firm has helped people just like you pursue claims against negligent medical professionals. If our experts support your claim, we can work with you to seek full and fair compensation from those who caused you harm.

    To learn more, contact us today by phone or online to schedule a free consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer today.

    What is Medical Malpractice?

    How exactly does the law define medical malpractice? Physicians and healthcare professionals have a duty to meet the standard of care when treating patients. A poor medical outcome that is out of the doctor’s control is not medical negligence. But medical negligence occurs when a poor outcome (including injury or wrongful death) is caused by the doctor’s failure to meet the standard of care.

    gavel, stethoscope and pills on wooden background

    For example, if a patient complains of chest pain, the doctor must follow a specific standard of care to determine whether the pain is due to cardiac issues. If the patient is sent away without any further testing – and later suffers a heart attack, a violation of the standard of care may exist. Each patient’s care must be carefully analyzed to make this determination.

    A patient in this situation could file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor if the reviewing experts support the case. That lawsuit could recover financial compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income, and other bills.

    Contact Us Now

    Need Help? Contact Us
    202-803-5800
    Get A Free Consultation

    What a D.C. Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Offer You

    At Bertram & Murphy, we are dedicated to pursuing full and fair compensation for our clients. We can design a specific legal strategy to target those who caused your harm. We vow to aggressively fight on your behalf. These are the benefits of choosing our D.C. medical negligence law firm:

    image
    Nurse and Doctors on Retainer

    Our in-house medical professionals set us apart from many other D.C. medical malpractice law firms. From the outset, a nurse will perform the initial review of your case. That will help us evaluate whether you have a viable medical malpractice lawsuit and what additional records we need. We will then have the case reviewed by the right specialists in order to determine if we can pursue a case. We understand that filing a lawsuit is a big decision for you. We’ll provide you with the information you need to make the best choice for you and your family.

    image
    Experience with D.C. Medical Malpractice Cases

    Our D.C. medical malpractice law firm is led by medical malpractice attorney Catherine Bertram, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field. Medical malpractice cases are complex and expensive to litigate. With extensive experience, our legal team knows how to navigate this process. We have experience taking on big hospital chains, corporate medical groups, insurance companies and physicians to seek the compensation you deserve. From your initial consultation to the trial proceedings, you can expect the highest standard of legal skill and expertise from a medical malpractice lawyer at our firm.

    image
    Proven Track Record

    Our medical malpractice lawyers in D.C. have achieved sizable verdicts and settlements for countless victims of negligence. We are proud to have secured verdicts in the past 4 years including $8 million, $12 million and $35.6 million for our clients. Those results are included in the largest medical malpractice verdicts in the Washington, D.C. area. Whether you have suffered from a delayed diagnosis or you have debilitating injuries because of medical negligence, we will aggressively pursue full and fair compensation for you.

    *Case results vary. Prior results do not guarantee any future outcomes.

    Common Types of Medical Malpractice in Washington, D.C.

    Our medical malpractice lawyer in Washington, D.C. handles a wide variety of medical malpractice cases:

    Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

    A condition that was not properly treated in time can cause irreversible injury or even death.

    Surgical errors causing injury or death

    Surgical care has become extremely complicated and often includes the use of lasers and robots. Sometimes surgeons and doctors in training are not fully trained on how to safely use this complicated equipment and harm can occur.

    Brain Injury (TBI)

    Brain injury in medical malpractice cases may be the result of physical trauma, lack of oxygen, surgical error, and more.

    Birth Injury

    Improper treatment before, during, and after birth can result in long-term medical conditions and disabilities.

    Defective Drugs

    Drug manufacturers have a duty to provide safe medications. Drugs that are defective or contain harmful substances can cause serious injury to patients, including cancer and other long-term illnesses.

    Defective Medical Devices

    Defective medical device cases may involve defective lasers, robots, implants, pacemakers, prosthetics, and other medical instruments.

    Nursing Home

    Unfortunately, nursing home patients are among the most vulnerable victims of malpractice. Nursing home malpractice cases often involve elder abuse, slip-and-falls, delayed diagnosis, infected bedsores and wrongful death.

    Military Medical Malpractice

    When medical negligence occurs in the military, you can still recover financial compensation, but claims are handled through a different process. Our law firm frequently handles claims for injury or death caused by military healthcare providers. There are very strict deadliness for serving notice in these cases, so contact an experienced military malpractice attorney promptly.

    Have a Question About Your Case? Call Us Today:

    Potential Defendants in D.C Medical Malpractice Claims

    A defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit is the non-filing party being accused of negligence. Possible defendants in medical malpractice claims include these healthcare professionals or providers:

    • Doctor and Resident Doctors – In some cases, the doctor and his or her group may be the only defendants. But it’s important to conduct a full investigation to see if there were any other responsible parties.
    • Physician’s Assistant, Resident Doctor or Nurse – If a physician’s assistant, resident doctor or nurse was negligent and caused harm, they may be named as a defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, the hospital and the supervising doctor will likely be a defendant in the case as well. In most cases, the supervising doctor is also responsible. The hospital or company that employs the negligent providers will also likely be sued.
    • Healthcare Group – Doctors often belong to large healthcare groups or medical practices. When that is the case, the medical group or healthcare group might also be named as a defendant.
    • Hospital – If the negligence occurred in a hospital and was due to faulty equipment, understaffing or another matter that was the hospital’s responsibility, the hospital may be named as a defendant.
    • Agency Nurses – Sometimes there are nurses or other providers who are employed by outside agencies. In that case, the agency may also be named in the lawsuit.
    • Drug or Device Manufacturer – In cases where defective drugs or faulty medical devices caused harm, the manufacturer is usually included as a defendant.
    • Military Hospitals and USA – With military medical malpractice cases, sometimes all of the providers were employed by the military and sometimes not. There are short deadlines for putting the government on notice of these types of claims, so please contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible if you suspect a military malpractice claim.

    What Are the Most Common Serious Injuries Related to Negligent Medical Errors in Washington, D.C.?

    When medical negligence occurs, the injury may be temporary, and the patient can make a full recovery with no long-term health effects. In other cases, the injuries are serious and may have a profound effect on the patient’s quality of life.

    Common injuries related to medical malpractice cases include:

    • Brain InjuriesBrain injuries are among the most serious complications that can occur due to medical malpractice. These types of injuries can cause death, result in personality changes or leave a person completely disabled. Brain injuries can result from anesthesia errors, medication errors, lack of oxygen, physical trauma after falling from a hospital bed, improper handling during or after birth, and surgical mistakes.
    • Perforated Organs – Surgery requires a meticulous level of precision, skill and experience. When a surgeon fails to meet the standard of care, this can have serious consequences. Victims of surgical mistakes may suffer from perforated organs or other serious injuries to their internal organs. When not treated right away, these injuries can lead to sepsis, brain damage, and death.
    • Infection – Infection is another common consequence of medical malpractice. Delays in in diagnosis and treatment of infections including sepsis and meningitis can be fatal. If a surgeon accidentally leaves a sponge or surgical instrument inside a patient’s body, this can also cause a dangerous infection.
    • Worsened Illnesses and Death – Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis account for a large percentage of medical malpractice claims. If a doctor fails to diagnose a condition properly, it may worsen to the point where recovery is no longer possible. This would ultimately present itself as a wrongful death claim. If treatment isn’t started in time because of a delayed diagnosis, irreversible damage to a patient’s health can be the result.

    If you’ve suffered from any of the above injuries due to medical malpractice, our experienced team can help you explore your legal options. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at our Washington, D.C. office with a medical malpractice attorney.

    Working with Medical Experts in Washington, DC to Build a Successful Medical Malpractice Claim

    Medical experts are key in medical malpractice cases for two main reasons, among many others:

    1. They can evaluate your case and help us determine which providers are responsible.
    2. They can testify on your behalf.

    Successfully resolving a medical malpractice lawsuit depends on whether you can prove the standard of care was not met by a healthcare professional and you can link the errors to the harm the patient suffered. While your testimony is important to the overall case, these cases actually require testimony from experts in the same or similar specialty as the health care providers who caused the harm. You cannot pursue most medical malpractice cases without the right experts who will testify to the necessary elements of the case.

    As the case progresses, we will work with our medical experts to thoroughly evaluate your medical records, depositions of key witnesses, and any other relevant information we have. Medical experts are typically physicians who specialize the same or similar fields as the defendants in the case. That makes their testimony highly important to the overall success of the case to meeting our goal of a settlement or a jury verdict in your favor.

    During settlement negotiations and trial proceedings, our medical experts’ opinions, executed reports, and testimony will be used to prove negligence, causation, and damages. The experts will testify at depositions in most cases, and if your case goes to trial, experts will testify on your behalf during a trial to prove the case and to provide the jury with evidence that the defendants caused you harm due to their violations of the applicable national standards of care.

    Patients often consult with other doctors for treatment after they suffer harm from negligence. We refer to those physicians as subsequent treating physicians. Sometimes they make statements to patients that are critical of the negligent doctors. However, these subsequent physicians do not have all of the information and are oftentimes hesitant to officially criticize their colleagues on the record. We encourage our clients to seek the best medical care for their injuries. For our cases, we will retain independent medical experts to support the case and to testify.

    The medical malpractice lawyers at Bertram & Murphy work with highly qualified medical experts, biomedical engineers, and other health care experts who have the proper credentials and can testify to support the elements of your claim for medical negligence.

    What Are the Types of Compensation That May Be Available in a Medical Malpractice Case in Washington, D.C.?

    Financial compensation for medical malpractice lawsuits in D.C. is divided into two main categories:

    • Non-Economic Damages – Non-economic damages refer to the non-economical ways that you’ve been harmed. This can include pain and suffering, mental anguish and embarrassment, and disfigurement. In some states, the injured patient’s married spouse can assert a claim for loss of consortium if applicable.
    • Special Damages – Special damages refer to economic losses that have a specific value. Special damages may include payments for doctor’s visits, hospital fees, ambulance bills, costs for diagnostic tests or medical equipment in the past and the future. Special damages can also cover past, current and future lost income.

    Why Medical Malpractice Cases Are Complex

    Because of their complex nature, medical malpractice cases are among the most complex, risky and expensive cases to litigate.

    These factors could be considered when evaluating fault in a medical malpractice claim:

    • Whether the hospital had enough staff or properly trained staff.
    • Whether the manufacturer of a drug or medical device met safety standards.
    • Whether the patient was compliant and followed care instructions.
    • Whether the harms suffered were serious and permanent.

    Let A Washington, DC Medical Malpractice Attorney Review Your Potential Medical Malpractice Case

    If you believe that you have a valid claim for medical malpractice, we encourage you to speak with an experienced D.C. medical malpractice attorney. At Bertram & Murphy, our knowledgeable legal team and expert in-house medical professionals can evaluate your claim. We’ll address questions or concerns you may have and explain your legal rights.

    With over 30 years of experience, we can help you pursue the compensation you deserve and that will allow you to focus on your recovery.

    Take the next step. Contact us today by phone or online and schedule a free consultation at our Washington, D.C. office.

    Learn More About Our Firm

    Schedule a Free Consultation

    Fill out the form below to set up a case review with one of our attorneys at no cost.

    Required
    Required
    Questions? Call us
    202-803-5800 request a Callback
    • The Best Lawyers in America
    • U.S. News Best Law Firms
    • AV Preeminent
    • American Association for Justice
    • Washingtonian Best Lawyer
    • Super Lawyers
    • Best Lawyers 2024
    • Best Lawyers 2023
    • Daily Record-The 2022 Powerlist, Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice.
    • Best Lawyers 2022
    • AAJ Leaders Forum
    • Expertise.com
    • Best Lawyers 2021