Lump-sum settlements under Florida law are what a victim receives when he or she agrees to resolve a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit with a single, large payout. This type of settlement occurs after negotiations have concluded, and all parties have agreed on the terms and the settlement amount. The single payment covers the…
Doctors go to school for years to train and practice before they see a patient on their own. Yet as the joke goes, the one who graduates at the bottom of a medical school class is still called doctor. When a doctor or other medical professional is negligent then they have opened themselves to a medical malpractice lawsuit.
To prove malpractice, a plaintiff needs to prove three things:
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- That they experienced an injury
- That the injury was caused by a medical procedure or medical advice
- That the procedure or advice was negligent, that is, outside of the standard practices of medical professionals in similar situations.
Medicine is a risky field by its nature. Most doctors carry malpractice insurance and will have to face a lawsuit at least once, and possibly many more depending on their specialty. Not all of these cases result in a favorable outcome for plaintiffs. Doctors will use their experience to claim that they were acting within standard medical guidelines.
Hospitals are also starting to use shady tactics like forced arbitration to keep their doctors out of the courtroom and the odds of avoiding a payout in their favor. The Florida Supreme Court has cast doubt on this practice in at least one case.
On this page, we have stories about Florida medical malpractice for your education, but to prove your case you must have a personal injury lawyer on your side with experience in medical malpractice cases. Be aware that these cases can take years to resolve and will require more doctor’s appointments to get an independent evaluation. It is possible to win substantial compensation. In cases of extreme malpractice, your action may even get a doctor to get their license revoked and save the lives of others.