Medical malpractice occurs when medical standards were not properly followed. It happens when a healthcare practitioner fails to exercise the degree of skill and care that a physician in the same specialty would have used in similar circumstances. In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health estimates that 250,000 deaths per year are caused by medical errors. This makes medical errors the third most frequent cause of fatalities in the U.S. after heart disease and cancer.
When a healthcare provider fails to provide appropriate treatment, the results can be devastating. If you've been seriously injured or lost a loved one due to a healthcare provider's negligence, Pracht Injury Lawyers can help. Our experienced attorneys can guide you through the process of filing a medical malpractice claim that will hold the appropriate party legally responsible for your damages.
About Medical Malpractice Claims
When you seek medical treatment, you expect that your care providers will take all reasonable steps to prevent harm. Unfortunately, medical errors happen much more often than you'd expect. In fact, several studies suggest that medical errors are in fact significantly underreported, so the actual figure could be much larger than a quarter-million deaths per year. Another article in JAMA purports that as few as 5-20 percent of medical errors are reported—making medical errors the leading cause of death in the U.S. 
The difficulty in finding medical experts with the integrity to expose the wrongdoing of a peer is one of the principal reasons an experienced medical malpractice attorney is needed to help a victim of medical malpractice.
In South Carolina, medical malpractice can be the result of:
- A procedure that was performed or not performed when it was indicated
- A procedure performed by someone without the proper credentials
- A failure to diagnose
- A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- A nosocomial infection (that is, caused by an organism within the hospital or medical facility)
- Lack of informed consent
How Our Medical Malpractice Attorneys Can Help
When a doctor, surgeon, dentist, nurse, or other healthcare provider causes harm to you or your loved one, it's important to understand your rights. Whatever type of error has harmed you, you should consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney in South Carolina to discuss your legal rights and options.
While the medical profession is and should be admired, we should be able to trust that our illnesses and injuries will not be aggravated by the negligence of a healthcare professional. Dealing with the consequences of a medical error can be both emotionally and financially devastating to the victim as well as to his or her family.
If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a medical error, you may be entitled to compensation that can at least mitigate some of the financial burdens that inevitably emerge. Pracht Injury Lawyers can help you seek full compensation for the harm you've suffered. We have the contacts and experience to build a strong case for you.
Pracht Injury Lawyers is located in Anderson, South Carolina. However, we have the ability to serve in Greenville, Greenwood, Abbeville, Clemson, Seneca, Easley, Laurens, Spartanburg, Columbia, Aiken, Newberry, Charleston, Orangeburg, and throughout South Carolina. Contact us today.