Redondo Beach, CA Medical Malpractice Lawyer - Hospital Negligence Attorneys
Suffering an injury or the loss of a loved one due to medical negligence can be devastating. If you or someone you care for has been harmed due to hospital errors in the Redondo Beach area, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Moseley Collins Law has over 40 years of experience representing clients in medical malpractice cases nationwide. We are committed to holding negligent hospitals and healthcare providers accountable for their errors.
This page covers key aspects regarding hospital negligence claims specific to the Redondo Beach area. We outline important information injury victims need to know surrounding statute of limitations for filing a claim, proving negligence and liability, determining case values, steps to take after errors occur, and ultimately collecting fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
Understanding Hospital NegligenceHospital negligence refers to when a hospital, doctor, nurse, or other medical staff member breaches the established "standard of care" when treating a patient. This failure to meet basic competency and safety requirements directly results in further injury, complications, or death.
Some examples of hospital negligence include:
- Misdiagnosing a condition or failing to diagnose it in time
- Surgical mistakes and errors made during procedures
- Administering the wrong type or dose of medications
- Allowing hospital-acquired infections due to unclean conditions
- Not monitoring patients appropriately
- Discharging patients prematurely
- Failing to communicate or report symptoms, test results
The effects of such errors can range from temporary discomfort to catastrophic, lifelong disability or wrongful death. Research shows over 250,000 deaths occur nationally each year are caused specifically by preventable medical mistakes.
Determining Liability in California Hospital Negligence CasesFor a hospital negligence case to be valid in California, the patient must demonstrate that the medical provider had a clear duty of care to the patient which they breached by failing to adhere to accepted standards of care. This breach of duty directly caused actual injury or losses like extended hospitalization, additional procedures, disability or death. With hospital negligence, there may be shared liability with multiple staff members like doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other personnel depending on specific contributing errors.
Moseley Collins Law handles complex hospital negligence cases utilizing extensive resources like consulting with four or more independent medical experts to strengthen findings of negligence. Identifying each accountable party is a key aspect our lawyers oversee.
California Statute of Limitations ConstraintsIn terms of the statute of limitations - the window to file a medical malpractice lawsuit - this is outlined in California Code of Civil Procedure section 340.5 as the earlier of:
- 3 years from date of injury discovery
- 1 year from plaintiff's discovery of negligence cause
There are exceptions, like claims involving minors, that extend limitations periods. But given defined constraints, it is imperative injury victims contact our Redondo Beach medical malpractice lawyers soon after any hospital-related negligence. We act swiftly to gather records, have our medical experts evaluate standards of care applied, assess causal links between errors and worsened outcomes, calculate past expenses and loss projections - all before time bars apply.
Call now for free consultations at (800) 426-5546. Our lawyers can promptly assess your situation's merits and advise on all time-sensitive initial actions needed to preserve your rights even if we cannot ultimately represent you.
Examples of Hospital ErrorsWhile each medical negligence hospital situation involves unique factors, some common errors we take legal action for in Redondo Beach and surrounding Southern California areas include:
- Labor & Delivery Negligence - When OB/GYN or hospital staff make mistakes during the birthing process that lead to infant brain damage, permanent disability or death of mother or baby. Some examples we see include failure to perform emergency C-section when clearly required or improperly administering induction agents like Pitocin or epidurals.
- Surgical Errors & OR Negligence - Going in for surgery, procedures or treatments where additional harm is caused by mistakes made by medical staff in the operating room or during aftercare. Surgical errors remain among the most common hospital issues and may involve leaving foreign objects inside patients, operating at the wrong site, puncturing organs, causing preventable infections, etc. Hospitals can also be liable if safety protocols were not followed.
- Emergency Room Misdiagnosis - Failing to accurately evaluate symptoms, order indicated tests, or correctly interpret results that would have shown a critical diagnosis in the ER continues to lead to catastrophic outcomes and wrongful death for thousands annually. Missing signs of stroke, heart attack, internal bleeding, fractures, lethal infections or other serious conditions that require urgent attention can have irreversible consequences if negligently overlooked.
- Medication & Pharmacy Errors - Getting the wrong type of medication or incorrect dose leads to harmful patient reactions and complications. Common errors include order transcribing mistakes leading to incorrect prescriptions, confusing similarly named drugs not indicated for the patient, failing to note contraindications or allergies in the record, distributing meds at the wrong times or at excessive/dangerous doses.
- Misdiagnosis Issues - One of the top allegations in malpractice suits involves not diagnosing a condition that was likely evident but overlooked in patient history, symptoms, and initial testing. Missing early stage cancers, vascular conditions, infections or brain injuries often leads to accelerated decline, permanent deficits or wrongful death later on.
- Anesthesia Errors - Were you or your loved one harmed due to anesthesia errors during surgery or treatments? Anesthesia carries serious risks physicians must mitigate through proper dosing, administration, monitoring and support. From failing to identify severe medication interaction dangers to not correctly monitoring vitals or maintaining airways under sedation - negligence during anesthesia can readily lead to brain damage or death.
Moseley Collins Law also investigates other common forms of negligence like nursing home abuse claims in the South Bay region. Hospital liability may also involve transfusions errors, preventable bedsore negligence, failing to prevent fall risks leading to injury, premature discharge or transfer protocols, and more. Our lawyers work to determine if care standards were breached.
Serious Effects of Hospital & Doctor NegligenceMedical negligence can range from short-term impacts to catastrophic injury/death. Depending on factors in a claim, common devastating effects upon victims include:
- Permanent vegetative state requiring lifelong medical care
- Spinal cord injuries causing paraplegia/quadriplegia
- Severe brain damage impacting mobility and mental capacity
- Organ failure leading to transplant needs
- Wrongful death
- Chronic debilitating pain or severe discomfort
- Lifelong disabilities or loss of normal life expectancy
- Psychological trauma
Every hospital negligence case involving serious injury or death carries immense value, with most claims reaching hundreds of thousands to millions in damages. Exact values depend greatly on:
- Level of disability and impairment
- Ongoing medical complications
- Loss of professional standing & income capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Lengthy future costs of medical bills/treatment
- Expenses of home healthcare, mobility devices
- Rehabilitative and accessibility costs
- Loss of companionship in wrongful death
Our lawyers devote significant resources to fully assess both economic and non-economic damages on a case-by-case basis fighting for highest viable compensation to cover both immediate needs and lifetime care necessitated.
While most serious medical malpractice suits settle out of court before trial, our lawyers prepare every single case inside and out for trial. We build strength and leverage to maximize damages versus compromise for faster closure - especially in gravely impactful cases of negligence deserving full justice.
What to Do After Medical Errors Cause HarmWhen hospital negligence leads to catastrophic outcomes, patients and families are seldom prepared for next steps. Key actions we advise include:
- Documenting Issues - Write down all factual issues that occurred including concerning events, statements by staff and other pertinent details soon after the incident while facts are clear. Establish a timeline of events.
- Report Issues Internally - Submit formal observation forms outlining issues to hospital risk management concerning aspects of provided care. This establishes awareness and their formal notice.
- Gather Evidence - Obtain complete copies of all medical records, scans, lab tests related to hospitalization and tied directly to the incident in question.
- Secure Expert Opinions - Consult medical specialists who provide objective second reviews examining standards of care applied versus lapses made by providers initially.
- Contact Knowledgeable Lawyers - Discussing incidents with veteran medical malpractice lawyers helps clients understand their rights and strategic options based on case specifics and state laws.
With over 40 years achieving results for injury victims statewide, Moseley Collins Law is a distinguished hospital negligence firm locally in LA County/South Bay and nationally. We utilize vast assets - from tapping medical specialists to damages analysts - to strengthen claims validity and secure maximum compensation. Our numerous pre-trial victories command respect from defense firms. We prepare every single case inside out for potential trial.
As one of few firms concentrating almost exclusively on catastrophic medical negligence incidents, our hospital error lawyers bring specialty experience fighting these delicate cases. We offer sage guidance and compassion surrounding tragic, preventable healthcare errors. Our goal is resolving matters so injured clients may receive resources for costs now facing them from deficiencies in care.
With a consistent track record delivering successful case outcomes, partnering with us provides confidence during vulnerable times. Our legal team works to alleviate stresses injury victims alone contend with surrounding:
- Navigating complex medical records
- Proving negligence caused injury/death
- Confronting evasive hospital risk groups
- Valuing current and long-term damages
- Settling for fairest compensation
We level the playing field against billion-dollar hospitals/insurers, aggressively demanding accountability until they own responsibility to make victims whole. Our priority is restoring stability and securing ample funding to cover lifetime care needs. Over decades, our lawyers have helped thousands of California clients receive significant financial restitution through settlements.
Major Hospitals Serving Redondo Beach, Torrance and the South BayProvidence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance
Top acute care hospital and ER in South Bay at 41st & Cabrillo. 422-bed non-profit known for women’s health including labor/delivery and NICU services.
Torrance Memorial Medical CenterMajor 423-bed regional medical center off Lomita Blvd founded in 1925 with Level II trauma ER/ICU and broad specialties including orthopedics, neurology and organ transplant.
Harbor UCLA Medical CenterMassive 576-bed public teaching hospital near Torrance border offering comprehensive care from Level 1 ER trauma to transplant services and research institute.
Cedars-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital147-bed community hospital newly acquired by Cedars-Sinai providing emergency, surgical, ICU and rehabilitation care to Marina Del Rey.
South Bay HospitalSmaller 232-bed acute care facility on western border of Torrance along PCH, formerly Little Company of Mary San Pedro Hospital, offering ER, medical/surgical care.
Surrounding Areas We ServeWhen medical negligence leads to injury or loss of life within hospitals serving the South Bay region of LA County, Moseley Collins Law provides legal representation to clients in Redondo Beach as well as surrounding communities including:
Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Lomita, Gardena, Lawndale, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Westchester, Playa Del Rey, Marina Del Rey, Venice and Santa Monica plus surrounding Los Angeles metro area.
Our BackgroundFor over 40 years, Moseley Collins Law has handled medical malpractice, serious personal injury and wrongful death incidents statewide. Our lawyers offer candid guidance to prospective clients on merits of legal claims - even if we cannot ultimately represent you - as well as time limitations surrounding California statutes of limitations. Call now at 800-426-5546 for free, no-obligation case consultations.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIs there a standard time limit to file hospital injury claims in California?Yes, under CA Code 340.5 there is a 1 to 3-year statute of limitations after an incident occurs or is discovered, with outliers. Acting promptly is key before the right to legal recovery expires.
Will filing a malpractice claim directly sue the doctor/nurse responsible?Not necessarily. Often times hospital liability and insurance policies extend to cover staff negligence. But our lawyers can pursue individuals if negligence is egregious or intentional.
What makes hospital errors like misdiagnosis legally negligent versus accidental?The key factor is whether an acceptable standard of care was breached directly contributing to the patient's injury or death. Simply making an error does not always constitute negligence under California law unless egregious or preventable by reasonable diagnosis.
Can someone still pursue hospital injury compensation even if problems existed before?Yes, pre-existing conditions do not negate the right to legal recovery if errors or omissions during hospital treatment worsened the underlying problems or caused distinct injury/harm negligently.
How much do Redondo Beach hospital malpractice settlements realistically pay out?Individual results vary based on case specifics, but many serious hospital error claims yield substantial settlements averaging between $500K to $5M+ when devastating, life lasting injuries or death result, especially in infants.