Bellevue Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Dealing with a serious medical professional error or act of negligence can leave you and your family feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and searching for answers. Hospital visits, doctor appointments, surgeries – we put our health and trust in the hands of medical professionals every day. We assume they will administer competent, safe care to diagnose and treat our conditions. Yet sometimes breakdowns happen, whether due to an individual’s mistake or broader systemic issues, resulting in patients getting injured rather than healed.

If you or someone you love suffered harm under a healthcare provider’s care in the Bellevue area, you may feel confused about where to turn or what options you have. People who are already dealing with physical trauma, emotional stress, mounting medical bills and other losses are often reluctant to assert their rights. It seems easier to just move on. However, in many cases working with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help patients and families obtain justice, crucial compensation and create positive changes.

This page provides an overview of medical negligence claims, how a lawyer can help prove your case in Washington, and why our Bellevue law firm just may be the right team to represent your best interests.

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional or organization breaches their duty of care, causing a patient injury or harm. Some examples of medical malpractice attorneys include:

• Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose a condition
• Surgical mistakes and errors made during procedures
• Not recognizing symptoms on time or delaying treatment
• Childbirth injuries to mother or baby
• Administering the wrong medication or wrong dose
• Using defective medical devices that malfunction

In essence, the provider did not live up to the accepted standard of care, and this negligence resulted in damages. Just because you had a bad outcome does not automatically equate to a medical malpractice lawsuit. Within the healthcare field, there are always inherent risks and complications with tests, drugs, surgery and other interventions. However, if a provider makes an egregious, preventable error that harms you, or ignores safety protocols, you may have a valid claim.

Some examples of potential malpractice scenarios:

• A doctor fails to order cancer screening tests for a patient displaying obvious symptoms
• Surgeons operate on the wrong area of a patient’s body
• An ER doctor misdiagnoses appendicitis as stomach flu, resulting in a burst appendix
• OBGYN prescribes a harmful drug to a pregnant patient despite potential fetal risks
• A nurse administers a nearly fatal overdose of medication in error

These types of clear-cut breaches of care are more likely to warrant a malpractice suit than cases of judgment errors or complications that do not severely harm the patient. Regardless of specific circumstances, a lawyer can advise if you have grounds to pursue a claim.

Suing a doctor, hospital or healthcare system is no easy feat. These organizations almost always dedicate immense legal and financial resources to deflect blame and avoid malpractice liability. They know most patients lack the expertise and stamina to prove negligence. An accomplished malpractice firm levels this playing field.

Medical malpractice cases hinge on understanding medicine. The plaintiff must demonstrate, often through expert testimony that the defendant’s actions fell below recognized standards of care. Our firm retains the most reputable specialists in practice areas related to a client’s injury, whether it is a neurosurgeon, pediatrician, emergency physician, obstetrician, or other expert. These medical experts review all pertinent records to provide opinions about improper treatment and other breaches. Their involvement lends credibility when going up against major hospitals and healthcare providers during settlement negotiations or at trial.

Beyond individuals, sometimes negligence arises from problematic institutional policies, inadequate safety protocols, insufficient staffing, faulty equipment or other system-wide failures. These can become apparent after meticulously digging into case specifics. Large verdicts and settlements happen when lawyers comprehensively identify all players and failures that contributed to patient harm. Our team devotes substantial resources to gather and examine every shred of relevant evidence.

Cases involving multiple defendants, alternative theories of liability or questions over who bears responsibility require deft navigation. For example, a mistake during surgery could implicate the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, device manufacturer or even the cleaning crew. Our lawyers establish innovative arguments regarding accountability when warranted and strategically approach settlement talks. We pursue compensation from all viable liable parties.

Proving liability is crucial, but malpractice cases also hinge on the attorney effectively showcasing damages. This means quantifying and documenting every related medical cost, lost income, lowered quality of life due to disability, pain and suffering, and other losses stemming from the malpractice. An experienced lawyer makes sure you receive full compensation.

Our firm has successfully taken on some of the largest, most prominent hospitals and healthcare networks in Washington and across the United States. We do not back down from challenging powerful defendants when our clients’ rights have been violated. Over our decades of practice, we have leveraged millions in verdicts and settlements for those harmed by medical negligence nationwide. Our credentials add credibility.

If you want to explore a potential malpractice claim with legal counsel who brings extensive and experienced medical malpractice attorney expertise and resources to the table, our Bellevue firm has the skills to build a strong case on your behalf.

While every medical malpractice claim often involves unique circumstances, some types of healthcare errors arise more frequently than others. Patients come to our Bellevue law office seeking representation for a variety of potential cases, including:

From a pharmacist filling the wrong prescription to a nurse giving an improper drug dose in the hospital, medication mistakes cause countless injuries each year. Medication errors typically happen due to oversight, miscommunication or failure to verify a drug’s identity before administering it. They can involve giving the incorrect medication, incorrect dosage, or neglecting to notice possible drug interactions. Those harmed may have grounds for a malpractice claim.

One of the top allegations in malpractice suits involves failure to diagnose, detect or treat a condition in a timely manner. This often pertains to physicians missing clear symptoms of cancer or other life-threatening illness during exams. But it also applies to situations like an emergency physician failing to recognize signs of imminent heart attack or stroke. Failure to diagnose cases center on whether quicker action could have led to better patient outcomes.

When poor decisions or errors are made during prenatal care, labor, delivery or postpartum care, infants sometimes sustain injuries like brain damage, cerebral palsy or nerve damage. Mothers can also experience harm from Ob-gyn errors and negligence, such as hysterectomies after delivery. Our lawyers handle birth injury cases involving flawed medical judgment, failure to monitor fetal distress, improper use of delivery devices and other mistakes.

With millions of surgeries occurring in the U.S. yearly, some degree of errors are inevitable. However, surgeries involving egregious errors like operating on the wrong body part, leaving foreign objects inside patients, puncturing organs, anesthesia mistakes and preventable infections may constitute the most medical malpractice claims. Surgical errors can cause severe harm.

Elderly nursing home residents heavily rely on staff for their basic health and safety needs. When overworked or negligent staff fails to provide adequate care, the consequences can be devastating. Bed sores, falls, malnutrition, dehydration, emotional abuse and physical assault in nursing homes happen too frequently. Seeking justice is complex but possible.

When defective medical products like transvaginal mesh, pacemakers, hip implants and IVC filters malfunction, patients can sustain life-altering damage. Our firm handles device injury cases against manufacturers while holding providers accountable for improperly using devices or failing to recognize complications.

No matter how unique or complex your circumstances, our goal is determining whether negligence occurred and if so, compiling evidence to prove where the healthcare provider breached their duty of care. Connecting with knowledgeable counsel early is essential.

Bellevue sits on the Eastside of Lake Washington, attracting many of the region’s top doctors and medical facilities. Below are some of the major hospitals and medical centers serving Bellevue and nearby communities:

Overlake Medical Center – This 416-bed nonprofit hospital in Bellevue provides emergency care, cancer treatment, stroke care, high-risk childbirth services and more for the Eastside.

Overlake Hospital Medical Center – Part of the Overlake Medical Center campus, this 350-bed facility has award-winning maternity care, a Level III trauma center, cardiac services and orthopedic care.

Swedish Medical Center Issaquah - This full-service hospital opened in 2011 and offers cancer care, orthopedics, neurology, women’s health and other specialties.

EvergreenHealth Medical Center - Located in Kirkland, EvergreenHealth comprises a 318-bed hospital, trauma and emergency services, primary care clinics and specialty centers.

Seattle Children’s Hospital Bellevue Clinic – While not a full hospital, this clinic affiliated with top-ranked Seattle Children’s Hospital provides pediatric specialty care in Bellevue.

Virginia Mason Medical Center – Headquartered in Seattle, this nonprofit hospital system runs a Bellevue clinic offering primary care, lab services and over 30 specialties.

Pacific Medical Centers Bellevue – Part of a network of primary and specialty care clinics in the Seattle metro area with a location in downtown Bellevue.

Bellevue Clinic – Large multi-specialty clinic providing family medicine, dermatology, orthopedics and other medical services.

Factoria Medical and Dental Clinic – Clinic operated by Neighborcare Health providing family practice, internal medicine, OB/GYN and other care.

Planned Parenthood – Bellevue Health Center – Provides reproductive health care, LGBTQ+ services, STI testing and routine wellness exams.

This list covers some of the major medical facilities law offices serving Bellevue, although many more clinics and individual provider offices help care for the city’s residents. Our malpractice firm helps clients who suffered harm under a healthcare provider’s treatment throughout the greater Bellevue metro area.

Moseley Collins Law is a distinguished medical malpractice firm providing compassionate, strategic representation to clients nationwide. If you or someone you love suffered harm under a healthcare provider’s care in Bellevue or anywhere in Washington, contact our office directly to discuss your potential claim in a free, no-obligation consultation. Call us at 800-426-5546 or reach out online to get your questions answered and learn how we can help you obtain justice. With extensive experience handling medical malpractice lawsuits for negligence statewide and nationally, our dedicated lawyers have the resources and acumen to handle even the most complex cases effectively. Reach out today to get your free case review started.

First, focus on getting the medical treatment you need and try to document what happened. Save medical records and bills. Note the names/roles of involved staff. Give written notice to the provider about your complaint. Consult with a malpractice lawyer as soon as possible to understand your options.

Not necessarily. Many cases settle out of court. We will advocate aggressively for you in settlement negotiations. If necessary, we are fully prepared to take your case to trial.

Our firm works on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront fees. We only collect if we obtain compensation for you. Our fee would come out of your settlement or award.

Every medical malpractice case is different, but medical malpractice cases often take 18-24 months from start to finish. We will keep you updated on the timeline and progress. The length reflects the in-depth preparation required.

The value depends on the severity of your personal injury itself, length of recovery, degree of permanent impairment or disability, medical costs, lost income, pain/suffering, and more. Experienced lawyers maximize complete compensation.