Are you looking to file a lawsuit but confused about whether you need an injury attorney or a medical one? That is why understanding the distinctions between personal injury and medical oversights in detail is essential when wanting to make an insurance claim or legal action for an injury you sustained.
Though a personal injury lawsuit is an umbrella term that includes medical malpractice, you might need more than just an injury attorney to fight your case. A malpractice lawyer can help you better.
Personal Injury
A personal injury claim is a civil lawsuit you can file against someone if their carelessness or negligence causes physical harm to you. Your attorney must demonstrate in a personal injury case that the negligent party’s actions or inaction resulted in your physical injury.
As the name suggests, personal injury claims refer to civil lawsuits that are filed in case someone else’s carelessness or negligence causes a person physical harm. Such a distinction in a lawsuit leaves space for a range of cases including but not limited to:
- Car accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Physical assault
- Defective products
A personal injury lawyer’s job is to demonstrate that the responsible party’s negligence caused physical harm to their client.
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice liability claims are a specific type of personal injury case. It enables you to sue a professional for any harm you sustained because of their malpractice. Some common issues that come under medical malpractice include:
- Misdiagnosis
- Childbirth injuries
- Surgical errors
- Failure to treat
A medical malpractice attorney’s job is to present the negligence of a healthcare professional that caused you harm by deviating from agreed-upon medical standards.
How are Medical Malpractice Lawyers Different?
Understanding the concepts of personal injury lawsuits and medical malpractice enables one to better understand the attorneys’ jobs.
While personal injury lawyers can technically represent you in court, you require a more dedicated lawyer regarding medical oversights. Malpractice is a type of personal injury. Hence all malpractice attorneys also practice personal injury law, but not all personal injury lawyers practice malpractice law. Therefore, a malpractice lawyer is what you should be looking for.
How do malpractice lawyers help you?
Medical malpractice is a subtype of personal injury cases. However, this does not mean that medical mismanagement and their related legal procedures are not complex. Someone who works in medical malpractice can offer you the best advice and representation.
It is essential to know that medical cases are complex. One needs to be well-versed with basic knowledge about specific procedures, your rights, prescription drugs, surgical errors, etc. A personal injury attorney may not know much about the technicalities in the realm of medicine.
Medical malpractice attorneys have experience in cases. They grasp human anatomy, physiology, and common jargon due to their frequent interactions with professionals and experts. This makes them exceptionally competent to piece together your health history, investigate your case, hold specific professionals responsible, and get you appropriate compensation for damages.
Conclusion
Though such come under personal injury cases, not all personal injury lawyers may specialize in malpractice. A specialized malpractice attorney can help you deal with any harm caused to you due to medical oversights. They can conduct litigation, study your health records, hold negligent professionals responsible, and provide you with an appropriate representation.