Medical Malpractice

Located in Charleston, Lofton & Lofton is a firm of highly-regarded South Carolina personal injury lawyers renowned for their exemplary track record in medical malpractice cases. At Lofton & Lofton, we purposely limit our volume of cases to provide you with the personalized attention you deserve. Since 1984, we have been devoted to helping victims of negligence get their lives back on track.

Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury

Medical malpractice is a specific area of personal injury law concentrating on healthcare negligence. A sub-standard level of care provided by physicians, nurses, or other healthcare workers may give rise to a malpractice claim. Medical malpractice cases often involve:

• Birth injury
• Surgical errors
• Emergency care
• Outpatient procedures
• Cancer, chemotherapy
• Misdiagnosis or treatment
• Heart attack, cardiac arrest
• Administration of medication
• Nursing home abuse, negligence
• Bowel obstruction or perforation

Medical professionals and hospital facilities are required to carry malpractice insurance. But instances of malpractice may be masked or covered up to avoid liability. It is therefore important to consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney to obtain an impartial legal opinion based on the unique facts of your case to determine whether you have a malpractice claim.

Causes of Negligent Practice

The fast-paced, high-risk nature of medical care gives rise to preventable errors. Any mistake, however slight, can have serious repercussions on a patient’s health and recovery. Careless conduct resulting in serious injury may involve:

• Medication errors
• Improper charting
• Delayed response time
• Failure to detect disease
• Poor sanitization procedures
• Lack of specialized knowledge
• Failure to detect complications
• Lack of informed consent from patient

Whether the mistake occurs in the delivery room or in hospice care, the medical providers are liable for any resulting harm. Injured patients and families who lose a loved one to wrongful death are entitled to compensation from negligent healthcare providers.

Signs of Medical Malpractice

Symptoms of poor treatment may not appear right away. Immediate and developing signs that malpractice has occurred may include:

• Headache, dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Delayed recovery time
• Bedsores, open wounds
• Decline in overall health
• Chronic infection, sepsis
• Fetal distress or deformity
• Organ or bodily dysfunction
• Coma, cognitive impairment

When hospital administrators or treating physicians do not provide satisfactory responses to healthcare concerns, a legal professional can help.

Medical Malpractice Liability

Healthcare providers have a legal duty to adhere to a certain standard of care. South Carolina law holds them liable for falling below this required level. Medical malpractice refers to injuries caused by negligent care. Liable parties can include:

• On-duty staff
• Doctors, aides
• Medical facilities
• Nurses, assistants
• Temporary workers
• Hospital administrators
• Surgical, lab technicians
• Directors, staffing agencies

Healthcare negligence often involves multiple actors. At-fault parties are liable for any out-of-pocket expense incurred as a result of the injury, and possibly other amounts. These may include compensation for medical costs, funeral expenses, lost wages, and wrongful death.

Successfully Recovering Damages

If you or a loved one were the victim of medical malpractice, contact the South Carolina medical malpractice attorneys at Lofton & Lofton today. We have over 25 years of experience in personal injury law. In medical malpractice cases, our firm employs innovative research and the best medical experts in an effort to hold all responsible parties liable, and protect your health and financial future. To consult a legal professional, please call 843.722.6319 or contact us online.