When a doctor makes a mistake, it can result in a serious health problem or even death.

Medical malpractice: Find out what happened to your loved one

On Behalf of | Mar 13, 2018 | Blog |

Imagine you brought your husband or wife to the medical facility for a routine surgery, but something went wrong and your spouse died on the operating table. No one seems to know why and your doctor won’t give you a straight answer. The only information you get is, “Sometimes things like this happen.”

It’s doubtful that you will ever rest until you find out what went wrong. And once you do find out what went wrong, you might want to pursue financial restitution to hold the at-fault doctors, hospital or medical attendants legally responsible for their negligence.

Get a copy of all your loved one’s medical records

Family members of individuals who die as a result of surgical mistakes may have trouble getting full access to their loved one’s medical records. That’s because doctors and hospitals that are in the wrong can create challenges for family members to obtain the records that show the medical practitioner was to blame.

The law is on family members’ side in these situations. Family members can employ legal strategies to obtain the complete set of medical records relating to their deceased loved ones. Experts can then analyze these records to determine exactly where things went fatally wrong.

Pursue a wrongful death action

If the records and expert analysis reveal that the hospital and/or treating physicians were to blame, and the death was preventable, then close family members — such as spouses, parents and financially dependent children — may have a sufficient basis to pursue a wrongful death claim to recoup damages associated with their loved one’s loss.

Did you lose your family member because of medical negligence?

If successfully navigated, a wrongful death action related to medical negligence or surgical mistakes can bring surviving family members compensation for lost family income, lost family and household services, lost relationship, lost future inheritance, pain and suffering, and more.

Due to time limitations that apply to all medical negligence claims in the state of Washington, it’s important that those with potential wrongful death claims take action to investigate their potential cases as quickly as possible. If the time limitations that apply to a particular case run out, then family members will be forever barred from pursuing their cases.