Tacoma Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you suffered an injury or illness in Tacoma due to a medical provider’s negligence, do not hesitate to contact Park Chenaur and Associates LLP. We have represented clients harmed by healthcare professionals and facilities since 1999. When you hire us, you can expect quality representation and services.

Doctors, nurses, and other providers must meet the required standard of care when providing medical assistance to people. Failing to meet that standard and making a mistake endangers a patient’s health, safety, and life. It can be scary when someone you trust to treat an injury or diagnose a disease causes you harm. When that happens, Park Chenaur and Associates LLP can help.

You must not wait to contact us so we can start working on your case right away. We will advocate for your rights and fight for the justice you deserve. Call us today for your free consultation with our skilled and trusted Tacoma medical malpractice lawyers.

Why Choose Park Chenaur and Associates LLP?

Park Chenaur and Associates LLP has over two decades of experience representing clients injured by others’ wrongdoing. The consequences of a medical error can be severe. Sometimes, a medical error leads to a patient’s death. We understand how traumatic this experience can be and want to provide the support and guidance you need to overcome this obstacle.

So far, we have over 10,000 cases under our belts. Our legal team has a proven track record of success and client satisfaction. We have five-star reviews on Google and Facebook. We also hold an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating possible. Our reputation shows the level of commitment we bring to every case we handle. Our clients are our priority and receive personalized attention until the end.

You can meet with an experienced Tacoma medical malpractice lawyer at our conveniently located office on Sixth Avenue between North Union Avenue and North Alder Street. We’re less than two miles from State Route 16 at the State Route 163 interchange. You can call us 24/7 and speak with a live person when you need us. We care about you and want to meet your needs.

Medical Malpractice Laws in Tacoma

According to the Revised Code of Washington 7.70.040, health carriers must comply with the accepted standard of care for healthcare providers while giving their patients medically necessary services. Health carriers could be liable for harming a patient by failing to follow the standard of care if their failure resulted in the delay, denial, or modification of the recommended or provided service.

Health carriers can also be liable for harming a patient if the healthcare treatment decisions result from a failure to follow the accepted standard of care by an:

Employee;
Agent; or
Presumed agent acting on the carrier’s behalf who has the right to exercise control or influence or who exercised control or influence.

The Revised Code of Washington 48.43.545 establishes the required elements to prove an injury is due to a healthcare provider’s failure to follow the accepted standard of care.

These elements include:

The healthcare professional didn’t exercise the degree of skill, care, or learning expected from a reasonably prudent healthcare professional acting in the same or similar circumstances; and
The failure is the proximate cause of the injury.

In Washington, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice sets a three-year deadline from the injury date to file a lawsuit. You might not discover your injury until after that statutory period expires. When that happens, you have a one-year timeframe from the discovery date to file a lawsuit.

However, there is a limit to how long the one-year period is available. The statute of repose only allows you to initiate a lawsuit for medical malpractice up to eight years after the incident, regardless of when you discover your injury or illness.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice and Resulting Injuries

Multiple circumstances and factors can lead to medical malpractice. Radiologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals who don’t meet the required standard of care can harm their patients.

Medical error and negligence can contribute to different types of medical malpractice, such as:

Foreign object. A surgeon might leave a foreign object, such as a sponge or instrument, in the patient’s body after an operation.
Inadequate pre- or post-care. Providing adequate care before and after treatment is crucial. That means thoroughly examining the patient, explaining the treatment, advising the risks, and following up to monitor recovery and check for complications.
Anesthesia errors. An anesthesiologist might miscalculate the amount of anesthesia a patient needs and administer too much or not enough.
Unsterilized medical tools. Mishandling medical instruments and equipment can lead to contamination. A patient can develop an infection from unsterilized tools.
Failing to warn. Warning about potential risks of recommended treatment plans is essential. A doctor can be liable for injuries if a patient doesn’t know about the dangers associated with the treatment.
Surgical errors. Surgeons can make various errors during surgical procedures, such as operating on the wrong body part, performing unnecessary surgery, or damaging internal organs.
Medication errors. Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage can have adverse effects, especially if it interacts badly with another medication the patient takes.
Negligent hiring. Medical facilities must hire qualified healthcare professionals. However, some facilities skip background checks during staffing shortages and other issues.
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Misdiagnosing a medical issue or diagnosing a serious disease like cancer too late is detrimental to a patient’s health.

Medical errors can cause a range of injuries. Some are minor and heal with minimal care, while others are severe, requiring ongoing treatment. Extreme situations might require invasive surgeries and months of rehab. These errors can lead to psychological issues, including depression and anxiety.

The most common injuries in medical malpractice cases include:

Brain damage
Internal bleeding
Punctured lung or another internal organ
Spinal cord injuries
Infections
Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Organ failure
Nerve and tissue damage
Burn injuries
Paralysis
Surgical amputation
Medication side effects

Medical Malpractice Compensation

You can file a medical malpractice claim or lawsuit against the medical provider responsible for your injury or illness.

The money you recover might compensate you for your:

Loss of earnings
Loss of future earnings
Diagnostic tests, hospital stays, prescriptions, and other medical expenses
Mental anguish
Pain and suffering
Disability or disfigurement

The compensation you receive in a medical malpractice case will depend on multiple factors.

These factors might include:

Duration of the recovery period
Type and severity of the injury
Availability of evidence proving liability
Whether the incident caused permanent physical harm
Emotional effects of the incident
The total cost of medical bills and other expenses
The estimated cost of necessary medical care and assistance in the future
Daily life disruptions, such as canceled vacations, time off from work, and the inability to care for family
Amount of available insurance coverage

Seeking legal representation is not a requirement. However, hiring a Tacoma medical malpractice lawyer from Park Chenaur and Associates LLP can benefit you. We can obtain the available evidence and calculate your losses to try to maximize the value of your case. We know how to investigate medical errors to determine who is at fault and create a strategy to pursue action against the negligent party.

Fighting the Insurance Company

Dealing with insurance companies can be a challenge. Without help from an experienced lawyer, making a mistake that negatively affects the outcome of your case is likely. The insurance company might take advantage of you when they learn you don’t have legal representation. They might try to trick you into saying something they can use against you.

Insurance carriers are not on the injured party’s side. Their goal is to save money whenever possible. That means they will look for valid reasons to deny claims or reduce the value to avoid a significant payout. If you don’t know how to handle the complexities of an injury claim, having an experienced Tacoma medical malpractice lawyer from Park Chenaur and Associates LLP is beneficial.

Instead of handling the process yourself, our legal team can take over, so you don’t face the burden alone. We will do everything we can to simplify your life so you can focus your time and energy on treating your injury. That should be your only responsibility during your ongoing case.

What to Do After a Medical Professional Injures You

A medical error can cause noticeable injuries or medical issues. However, some medical malpractice incidents cause symptoms that aren’t immediately apparent. You might not realize your doctor made a mistake until weeks or months later.

You must pursue action against the negligent medical provider once you notice a problem. You need proof, and the sooner you start working on your claim, the better.

Although you might not trust healthcare professionals anymore, seeking prompt treatment is critical. You can go to the hospital or another facility for an examination. You probably already saw someone for your injury or illness before contacting us. If you haven’t, go now. Listen to their instructions if the physician diagnoses the issue and recommends follow-up care. You should attend every appointment to address your symptoms and get the necessary care.

Hire a Tacoma medical malpractice lawyer from Park Chenaur and Associates LLP as soon as possible. We can investigate to determine what we need to do to hold the at-fault healthcare practitioner liable.

You will receive guidance and support from us, so you’ll know the steps to take. Our team has the resources to speak to witnesses, gather medical records, and do everything necessary to build a strong case for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t done anything other than seek initial medical attention for your injury. We will handle the rest.

You should keep copies of every document related to your case and forward them to us. It’s helpful to use your records as references during our investigation. We can review everything you provide to confirm the records we request from your doctors are complete and accurate. That way, we avoid submitting incorrect information to the insurer or miscalculating the value of your claim.

Whatever you do, stay away from social media. You might want to share what’s happening with your family and friends. However, doing so can ruin your chance of financial recovery. Most people don’t realize defense attorneys and insurance companies can use social media posts as evidence to disprove the nature or severity of an injury.

For example, if you share a photo of yourself at a social event, the insurance adjuster might argue your injury can’t be that serious if you go out with your friends instead of resting at home. Seeing your frequent online activity can also indicate your lack of attention to healing your injury because it appears you prioritize your social status.

The safest decision is to stay off social media until we resolve your case. You should also avoid all forms of electronic communication about the incident. Defense attorneys might subpoena emails and private online messages to determine whether you lied about your injury or embellished specific details to recover more money. You can prevent creating damaging evidence against you by not disclosing information about your case.

Speak to a Dedicated Tacoma Medical Malpractice Lawyer

attorneys rick and angel — Rick Park & Angel Chenaur, Medical Malpractice Lawyers

You may feel shocked, infuriated and stressed to discover your symptoms or medical condition resulted from a medical error. Your healthcare provider’s negligent conduct harmed you, and they should be financially responsible for the consequences, including your medical bills and other expenses. Let the Tacoma attorneys of Park Chenaur and Associates LLP help you seek the justice you deserve.

We will pursue legal action against the liable medical facility or provider and try to secure the maximum compensation possible. You don’t have to worry about settlement negotiations, deadlines, and other burdensome tasks. We will provide security and support, so you feel protected during the entire process. Reach out to a Tacoma personal injury lawyer.

If a negligent healthcare professional caused your injury or illness while providing medical services, call Park Chenaur and Associates LLP at (253) 345-2555 or complete our online contact form for a free consultation. We speak English, Vietnamese, Spanish, Russian, and Korean to serve diverse clients.