Houston Never Events Lawyer
Medical errors and medical negligence injure and kill thousands of patients each year in the United States. Unfortunately, some doctors conceal medical malpractice so that patients never know they suffered harm because of their doctors’ actions. Some medical mistakes are so shocking they are called never events.
Our lawyers use the extensive knowledge, skills, and experience gained during their 45 years of combined legal experience to obtain maximum compensation for our clients. Attorney Brian White is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law.
The Houston medical malpractice lawyers of Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers fight to hold medical providers accountable when they injure patients. If a doctor caused your injury, contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our Houston, TX, attorneys at (713) 500-5000.
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How Our Houston Medical Malpractice Attorneys Help You With a Malpractice Claim
Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We understand medical malpractice law and how to use the law to recover compensation for our clients and their families.
Our Houston never events lawyers work with you, your physicians, and medical experts to gather evidence proving a medical provider is responsible for your condition. When you hire our legal team to represent you in a malpractice case, you can expect us to:
- Explain your legal options and guide you through the process of pursuing a malpractice claim
- Initiate a comprehensive investigation to gather evidence of malpractice
- Verify insurance coverage, file claims, and monitor those claims
- Monitor the deadlines for filing medical malpractice lawsuits
- Document and assess your damages to calculate the maximum value of your claim
- Aggressively negotiate with the insurance provider, physician, and defense attorneys for maximum compensation
- Proceed to court if the other parties refuse to negotiate in good faith to resolve the claim
At Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers, your best interest is our top priority. We handle all aspects of your injury claim so you can focus on your recovery. Call now for a free case evaluation from an experienced medical practice lawyer in Houston, Texas.
Never Events Should Not Happen to Patients
A “never event” is a medical error that is so shocking it should never take place. Dr. Ken Kizer first used the term in 2001. However, the term has been expanded over time to describe adverse medical events that can be clearly identified and measured.
Never events include serious medical errors that could result in a patient’s injury or wrongful death. The errors are preventable when a doctor exercises the required standard of care for a situation.
The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) identified over two dozen “serious reportable events” that meet the definition of a never event. Those events can be categorized as:
- Procedural or surgical errors
- Product or device events
- Care management events
- Radiologic events
- Patient protection events
- Environmental events
- Criminal conduct
Even though never events are rarer than other incidents of medical negligence, they do occur. Patient safety researchers from John Hopkins estimate that 80,000 never events occurred from 1990 to 2010 in United States hospitals. However, the researchers believe the estimates are low.
One study claims that surgical never events are a significant portion of medical errors. According to the John Hopkins researchers, it is estimated that surgeons perform an incorrect procedure or operate on the wrong site 20 times a week. Surgeons leave a foreign object in a patient’s body 39 times a week.
Examples of Never Events in Houston, TX
Never events are usually preventable with reasonable care. Examples of never events include, but are not limited to:
- Leaving a foreign object in a patient during surgery
- Operating on the wrong body part
- Medication errors that result in death or severe harm to the patient, such as giving a patient the wrong prescription drug
- Birth injuries and death to a newborn during a low-risk labor and delivery
- Performing an incorrect medical procedure
- Introducing metal objects in an MRI area
- Stage 3 or 4 bedsores that develop while the patient is in a healthcare facility
- Performing surgery on the wrong patient
- Discharging a patient to someone who is not authorized to care for that person
- Falls in a health care setting that cause severe injury or death
- Unsafe use of blood products
- Using a contaminated medical device and misuse of medical devices
Criminal events are also included as never events. Sexual abuse and patient assault would be considered never events in a healthcare facility. Healthcare providers may face criminal charges in addition to civil penalties for these actions.
Damages Available for Never Event Claims in Houston
A patient may sustain serious injury and permanent impairment because of a never event. Additionally, the patient may have PTSD, chronic anxiety, and debilitating depression because of medical malpractice.
If you were injured because of a never event, you could receive compensation for your economic damages and non-economic damages, including:
- Past and future medical bills and expenses related to treatment and care, including long-term nursing care and personal care
- The loss of income and benefits, including a decrease in earning potential
- A decrease in your quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life
- Disabilities, impairments, scarring, and disfigurement
- Necessary medical equipment and devices, including wheelchairs, prosthetics, walkers, dialysis machine, etc.
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Vocational, physical, occupational, rehabilitative, and emotional therapies
- Physical pain and suffering
Families who lose a loved one because a doctor committed a never event can sue for damages under Texas wrongful death laws. Our legal team explores all legal options to help you and your family receive the compensation you need and deserve because of the harm sustained from medical malpractice.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Houston Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Medical malpractice can cause significant and permanent damage to patients. If you believe your doctor or other health care provider injured you, call our law office or reach out to us online to discuss your case. Your consultation with a Houston never events lawyer is confidential and free of charge.
