Medical Malpractice Law in Seattle

Miracle Pruzan & Pruzan offering legal advice on any Malpractice Lawsuit

Medical Malpractice / Negligence

Health care professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and hospital staff must abide by a standard of care in treating patients. Sometimes doctors and hospitals are reckless or negligent or just make mistakes. Traumatic injuries and death can result. As many as 1 out of every 25 hospital patients is injured by a medical mistake; 44,000 to 98,000 people die each year from medical errors, according to the federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. Our legal team helps hold medical professionals responsible for their negligence by using malpractice litigation best practices.

Improper conduct can include misdiagnosing diseases, prescribing the wrong or conflicting medication, delaying or failing to provide treatment, surgical errors, anesthesia mistakes and child delivery mistakes. Mistakes made during birth can result in maternal as well as infant injuries, including cerebral palsy, brachial injuries, developmental problems, brain injuries and death. For more information on medical malpractice laws visit our Seattle Medical Malpractice Laws page.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Wrongful Death

A person who recklessly or negligently causes the death of another can be held accountable. Medical mistakes and vehicle accidents are among the many causes of accidental deaths. Our firm has handled numerous wrongful death actions and obtained substantial judgments for our clients.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Brain and Nerve Damage

Medical mistakes involving lack of oxygen, or anesthesia or surgical errors can result in brain and nerve damage. Such damage also can occur in motor vehicle and other types of accidents. Brain and nerve damage usually limits a person’s ability to function normally and may require years of medical treatment and physical therapy.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Birth injuries

Delivery of a healthy child is dependent on many factors, including timing of a doctor’s actions or emergency C-section delivery and his or her skills in using delivery-assistance instruments. An error before, during or immediately after delivery can result in devastating trauma to the infant and / or mother. Injuries to the child can include oxygen depravation that results in death, brain damage, developmental disorders, or cerebral palsy and brachial injuries and shoulder dystocia. Mothers can suffer C-section complications, uterine rupture and death.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Mental Retardation

Mental retardation, or diminished mental capacity, can be caused by genetic or metabolic disorders. But it also can be caused by medical negligence during birth. A thorough investigation is required to determine the cause of a mental disorder.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Anesthetic Mishaps

Nearly every surgery requires anesthesia, and it is one of the most dangerous parts of the operation. Anesthesia can be administered incorrectly or for too long, or a patient may react adversely to it. This can result in brain injury and permanent disability. Medical malpractice claims involving anesthesiologists are common.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movements and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development, or during infancy. It can also occur before, during or shortly following birth. The injury sometimes is caused by medical mistakes. People with cerebral palsy require extensive medical treatment, therapy and training, sometimes for their entire lives.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Misdiagnosis / Failure To Diagnose

It is paramount to diagnose cancer, heart disease and other ailments quickly before they progress. One key is for medical professionals to order proper tests and to correctly read and interpret lab results, x-rays and mammograms. Failure to diagnose a condition can lead to delayed treatment, which can result in complications or even death. Doctors who fail to diagnose lung, liver, colon, breast or brain cancer or other conditions may be negligent.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Cancer Misdiagnosis

Correctly interpreting lab results, x-rays and mammograms is essential to early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Unfortunately, appropriate tests are not ordered or the results are often misread, resulting in delayed treatment, complications and even death. Doctors who fail to diagnose lung, liver, colon, breast or brain cancer or other cancers may be negligent.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Paralysis

Paralysis can have a number of causes, including stroke, transient ischemic attack, head injury, spinal cord injury, nerve compression and tumors. Our firm pursues personal injury claims for accident victims and medical malpractice victims who are paralyzed.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Doctor-Caused Injury

Doctor-caused injury is any injury caused by the negligence, mistake or intentional conduct of a physician. A doctor who causes an injury can be held liable.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Hospital-Related Injury

Hospitals are responsible for care performed within them. Hospitals can be held responsible when a patient is injured as a result of conduct by doctors, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists or any other hospital staff member.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Surgical mishaps

Any patient who suffers an injury due to a surgical error should be compensated. Surgical mishaps can involve doctors, nurses and anesthesiologist and can result in brain damage, paralysis, infection and death.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

No Informed Consent

The Informed Consent Doctrine requires physicians to advise patients of the risks of proposed surgeries. Physicians who fail to obtain proper consent or who misrepresent the risks can be held liable.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Personal Injury

Personal injury is the wrongful injury of one person through the fault of another. Our firm represents clients and families of victims who have been injured in automobile, motorcycle, ATV, boat, bike, train, pedestrian, truck, tractor-trailer, 18-wheeler and semi-truck accidents, crashes or collisions; hit and run accidents; drunk driving accidents, construction accidents; workplace accidents, falls, chemical exposure, recreation accidents; fires; explosions and electrocution; medical errors, birth injuries and by dog bites, negligently maintained property, defective tools and products, weapons, improper nursing home care and other negligent or intentional misconduct.

Our clients count on us when they have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI), burns, birth injuries, fractures, dislocations, knee injuries, neck injures, back injuries, shoulder injuries, spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, quadriplegia, and paralysis.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Products Liability

Adults and children often are injured by defects in goods, including auto industry products, construction materials, children’s toys and care equipment, drugs, medical devices and other consumer products. Manufacturers are responsible for designing, manufacturing and marketing safe products, and they can be held liable when they fail to do so.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra Claims

Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra are among many drugs under scrutiny in courts around the country. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs classified as COX2 inhibitors. They are pain relievers that were prescribed to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis until they were pulled from the market. The manufacturers are accused of failing to adequately warn doctors and patients that long-term use could cause heart attacks or strokes.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Emergency Room Mishaps

Among the most common medical malpractice claims are those involving emergency rooms. Emergency room medical personnel are responsible for making an initial assessment of a patient’s condition and ensuring proper treatment is given promptly when necessary. Misdiagnosis during that initial assessment can lead to delayed treatment and result in serious complications and death. A common emergency room error is sending heart attack patients home after an incorrect diagnosis.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Defective Heart Defibrillators

Many heart defibrillators are being recalled for manufacturing defects. These defects have led to serious injuries and deaths. Miracle Pruzan & Pruzan will work to hold manufacturers responsible for these defects.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Federal Torts

Our firm represents individuals and their families in pursuing tort claims, such as medical malpractice and wrongful death, against the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). The federal government is generally immune from civil liability and damages in a lawsuit. However, when a federal employee is negligent in carrying out certain tasks within the course of his or her employment the federal government can be held liable for that negligence in a lawsuit. An example is an injury or death that occurred due to medical negligence or malpractice by a military or government health care provider at a federal, Veteran’s Administration, Army or Naval hospital.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page

Nursing Home / Assisted Living Abuse

Nursing homes provide medical care, much like a hospital. The care must meet strict standards. Unfortunately, care in nursing homes can be substandard. Additionally, patients can be subjected to verbal and physical abuse and negligence. There are special vulnerable-adult statutes in Washington State to protect the elderly in nursing homes that we will help enforce.

Unlike nursing homes, assisted-living facilities provide only some assistance to seniors who are not fully independent. Residents of assisted-living centers can be victims of abuse and can be taken advantage of emotionally and financially. Facilities also may fail to provide basic services for which they were contracted.
Return to Practice Areas Top of Page