Some surgical errors are so serious that the medical community agrees they should never happen. But in operating rooms across New Mexico, patients still suffer injuries because a hospital fails to follow basic safety steps or standard procedures. At Poulos & Coates, we help families find out why. Many of our clients come to us after surgery with the...
Continue ReadingWhen medical care goes wrong, the terms delayed diagnosis vs misdiagnosis usually come up. To a patient, both experiences can feel the same. You trusted your doctor, but they missed something important. Now you’re facing new treatments, more serious health problems, or a more prolonged recovery because the correct diagnosis came too late, or never came at all. These...
Continue ReadingWhen something doesn’t feel right, most people turn to medical professionals to find answers. A correct diagnosis can bring peace of mind and a clear treatment path forward. But when doctors get it wrong, the results can be painful, confusing, and sometimes life-altering. Misdiagnosis is a dangerous medical error that patients face. The condition often goes untreated, symptoms worsen,...
Continue ReadingMost people trust that when they visit a doctor, they’ll leave with clarity, answers, and the right treatment plan. But when that trust is broken—because a diagnosis is missed, delayed, or simply wrong—the consequences can be serious or even life-threatening. It’s common to ask, What if a doctor misdiagnosed me? And is misdiagnosis considered medical malpractice? The answer: It...
Continue ReadingSurgeons are some of the most highly-trained and highly-paid doctors. However, they are still human, and humans make mistakes. Often, a surgical error results in a patient experiencing severe injuries that may have a lasting impact on their life. If a surgeon makes a mistake, the patient may suffer harm that qualifies as medical malpractice if negligence is involved....
Continue ReadingIt probably comes as no surprise to know that medical professionals can make grave mistakes. Some of these mistakes involve negligence, which is one of the common causes of medical malpractice, opening the door for a medical malpractice claim. Victims can suffer lifelong consequences when these mistakes happen. In severe cases, victims may even pass away due to the...
Continue ReadingWhen you visit a hospital or medical facility for injuries or illness, you trust you’ll be in good hands with the medical professionals. If you’re hospitalized, you’ll likely interact with nurses the most. A doctor will visit once or twice a day, but your main point of contact will be the nursing staff. While most nurses treat patients to...
Continue ReadingSepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection causes inflammation throughout the body. Prompt and proper treatment of sepsis is crucial to prevent serious complications and improve outcomes for patients. However, when sepsis occurs due to medical negligence, patients and their families may have legal options to pursue compensation for damages. Key Takeaways...
Continue ReadingGenerally, medical malpractice lawsuits can take at least 2 years to 5 years to resolve, sometimes much longer. If your lawsuit goes through mediation, it can be resolved in a matter of months. However, this is quite rare. When you or a loved one suffers due to medical malpractice, navigating the aftermath can be incredibly daunting. A pressing question...
Continue ReadingGallbladder surgeries are much less invasive than years ago, but that doesn’t mean the risk of complications has disappeared. Even routine procedures have associated risks. However, known risks are different from preventable mistakes. When a medical provider makes a mistake that harms you as a patient, you could have the right to bring a malpractice claim. Understandably, prospective clients...
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