When you visit a doctor for help with an illness or with an emergency situation, you expect to be treated safely. Most of the time, you are.

However, when a doctor or another medical professional treating you makes an error, you could end up suffering additional injuries or illnesses. This can leave you with a medical situation that is direr than what you had originally.

If you find yourself in this situation, you should not have to pay the costs of your additional medical care out of your own pocket. You also deserve to seek a settlement for your pain and suffering. Count on a Fair Lawn medical malpractice lawyer to protect your rights.

Call a team member from Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi P.C. at (201) 585-9111 as soon as possible for a free review of your case.

Deciphering Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can take on a number of different forms. Determining exactly what type of malpractice occurred in your case can help you and your attorney determine which parties should be held responsible for your new injuries.

Client Success Story
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Choosing Michael Maggiano and his firm was the best decision my husband and I made at a most horrific time in our lives. Multiple doctors, with whom we had trusting relationships, were confidently telling me that nothing was wrong when, in fact, that was not the case; allowing a cancer to grow over several years to an advanced stage.

Michael Maggiano and his incredible colleagues took our case, even though extremely complex. They patiently answered our endless questions, diligently pursued every aspect of our case, handled our anxieties; especially during trial preparation and settlement discussions. Due to their experience and skill, the final outcome was a sizable settlement.

We hope that this message helps you make the right decision during what is probably a difficult and trying time by speaking with Mike Maggiano. 

- Anonymous

Client Success Story
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After thirteen surgeries, multiple procedures and over two months in the ICU, all due to the negligence of one of my doctors, I was referred to Michael Maggiano to pursue a medical malpractice case. I had never been involved in a lawsuit in my life and from the moment I met Michael and his team at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi I knew I was in extremely competent hands. Michael is the best lawyer you could imagine – he is intelligent, detail oriented, extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his work and his clients. Michael is a consummate professional and I will forever be impressed by, and indebted to, both him and his team. The entire staff at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi is friendly, welcoming and do everything to make their clients comfortable. I would like to specifically thank Linda Reid and Bernadette Elbert who both went above and beyond to make my experience as comfortable as possible, from including me in all detailed correspondence to sending encouraging texts and even giving hugs when needed. Thank you so much to everyone at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi – I highly recommend this law firm to anyone looking for a compassionate team to handle a personal injury claim.

- Confidential Client

Medication Errors

A medication error is a preventable mistake that occurs because of the improper administration of medications, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to a study from the Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medical Perspectives, medical malpractice involving medication errors is far more common than you may think, impacting about 7 million patients annually.

Medication errors can involve a doctor prescribing a medication that ends up adversely interacting with medications you are already taking. They also can involve a pharmacist incorrectly filling a prescription, giving you the wrong drug.

Surgical Errors

If a hospital schedules you for the wrong type of surgery, performs surgery on you that was meant for another patient or does not have the proper equipment on hand to perform a particular type of surgery, the hospital could be found liable.

Surgeons need to be certain they do not leave any instruments or other items inside the patient after the surgery, too, as this can cause significant pain with random symptoms for months or years, according to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

Misdiagnosis

If a doctor does not properly diagnose your original illness, when the majority of doctors would have done so, you may have grounds for a malpractice case.

Additionally, if your doctor prescribes an uncommon or odd treatment for the original injury or illness, causing additional problems, you may have a case. If other doctors would have prescribed a more standard type of treatment for you, this may be an indication of malpractice.

A Fair Lawn medical malpractice lawyer can fight for your rights. If you have any question about how medical professionals may have treated you or suspect that some sort of error occurred, contact a team member from Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi P.C. today. Call us at (201) 585-9111 for a free case review.

Verdicts and Settlements

$850,000 - Medical Negligence

To a 54 year old salesman for foot disability due to unnecessary tarsal tunnel surgery by the podiatrist.

$900,000 - Medical Negligence

To two children of a 35 year old woman who suffered cardiac arrest under anesthesia due to failure to diagnose congestive heart failure by her treating physicians and the anesthesiologist, all of whom cleared her for gall stone surgery despite signs pointing to an underlying heart condition.

$11,500,000 - Hospital Negligence

A North Carolina hospital has paid $11.5 million to the two surviving minor children of a man who murdered his wife, stepdaughter and baby daughter then forced his two surviving kids to live in an apartment with the corpses before he finally killed himself.

Understanding Why Malpractice Errors May Occur

When you suspect that a doctor’s practices are negligent, you may be able to notice many signs of malpractice. If you notice that some of the following events occurred as the doctor attempted to diagnose your case, you could be looking at a situation where medical malpractice may be involved, including:

  • Poor communication: If doctors do not communicate effectively with other medical personnel, the instructions for your care could be misinterpreted, leading to a significant error.
  • Ignoring the patient: If a doctor does not properly listen to the patient’s symptoms, this can lead to an error in treatment.
  • Mislabeled items: If nurses or lab technicians mislabel some of your samples, your tests may prove inconclusive, leaving you with an undiagnosed illness that should have been caught.
  • Sloppy recordkeeping: If your medical history is not properly tracked, doctors may make an error when treating you. Your medical staff might not have had all of the information they need, including notes of medications you are already taking or allergies you have.
  • Poor hygiene: If examination rooms, hospital patient rooms, or surgical rooms do not receive proper disinfecting, you could face the possibility of acquiring an infection or a virus.
  • Fatigued workers: If doctors and other medical professionals are too tired to think clearly and make a mistake while treating you, this could lead to a significant error.
  • Improper training: Hospitals could be found liable after an error if they hire medical personnel who do not have the proper credentials.

We Will Work Hard to Represent Your Interests

We understand the frustration you and your family may feel after you are the victim of a mistake from a doctor, a pharmacist, a nurse, or another medical professional. Some of the items for which you can receive compensation after a medical error include:

  • Medical bills associated with the extra injury or illness
  • Estimated future medical costs
  • Wages you lost while recovering from the additional injury
  • Wages you may not collect in the future because of lingering health issues
  • Emotional trauma
  • Reduction in quality of life
  • Lingering pain and suffering

Once you choose to hire us, you can be certain we will work tirelessly to investigate the facts in the case, showing that the error from the medical professional led directly to worsening or lingering health problems for you. We can help you determine the proper amount of compensation to request from the malpractice insurer.

According to New Jersey Revised Statutes §2A:14-2a, you have up to two years to file a personal injury claim in the state of New Jersey. Medical malpractice cases resulting from birth injuries may involve other deadlines. A lawyer will be able to tell you about any laws or deadlines that affect your case.

The Complexity of Malpractice Cases

It can be challenging to prove your case in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Doctors may not be willing to admit that a mistake was made, or the doctor (and his or her malpractice insurer) may claim that it was your error that led to the additional health issue for you.

As a Fair Lawn medical malpractice lawyer, we will work to show that someone else was responsible for your injuries. You have no control over the way a doctor cares for you, yet you have additional health problems because of the error. We know how to handle every step of the legal process of your malpractice case.

For a free case review, call a team member from Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi P.C. at (201) 585-9111 today.