Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner Malpractice in Louisiana & Mississippi
If the decisions or actions of a nurse practitioner or physician assistant cause you harm, could you have a medical malpractice claim like you might with a doctor?
Yes, it is possible.
As NPs and PAs take over more of the work traditionally done by doctors, the potential for these medical professionals to make mistakes and cause harm through medical malpractice grows.
If you have suffered injury or illness due to medical malpractice, your primary doctor or surgeon may not be the only one responsible. An NP or PA who acted negligently could also be held accountable for damages due to you.
Negotiating with or suing a health care provider is complicated and intimidating. Get a New Orleans medical malpractice lawyer from The Bowling Law Firm to represent you and stand up for your rights.
You’re already suffering from medical issues and worrying about the mounting costs. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you hold a negligent health care professional accountable and pursue compensation so you can focus on your health.
The Bowling Law Firm has extensive experience advocating for victims of medical malpractice across Louisiana and Mississippi, and we’re here to help you at every stage of the legal process.
When Is a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner Liable for Malpractice?
The number of nurse practitioners and physician assistants has been growing rapidly in recent years. A shortage of doctors is one of the main reasons for the growth, according to groups like the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
A report by the AAMC referred to numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that NPs have more than doubled in the last decade or so, and PAs have increased by 50 percent.
Both professional groups are expected to keep growing for years ahead. They can help make medical care more available to more people.
You shouldn’t assume that a mistake by a PA or NP is any less important than a mistake by a doctor under medical malpractice law. Even a small mistake can result in health issues and significant damages.
Common reasons to pursue a claim against a physician assistant or nurse practitioner for medical malpractice include:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Procedural errors
- Mistakes during surgery
- Poor documentation of patient information
- Medication errors
No matter the reason for your medical malpractice claim, you need to be able to prove three key elements.
First, you need to show that there was a breach of duty. Your NP or PA acted negligently or failed to act when they should have.
You then have to make a link between your health care provider’s mistake and the injury you have suffered. This is known as causation.
Finally, you must show that this injury resulted in damages, like additional medical costs or the loss of wages.
Let’s take a closer look at what kinds of damages a Louisiana and Mississippi medical malpractice lawyer can help you fight for.
What Damages Can You Claim in a Medical Malpractice Case?
Damages in a medical malpractice case can be broken into two broad categories: economic and non–economic damages.
Economic damages are meant to cover the monetary costs you’ve incurred due to physician assistant or nurse practitioner malpractice. This can include medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and loss of future earning capacity.
Non-economic damages are for those things that are harder to quantify, like compensation for pain and suffering.
You should know that there may be a cap of $500,000 for damages, but no cap for compensation related to a victim’s medical care. In Louisiana, additional medical costs can be covered by the state’s Patient Compensation Fund.
Our Louisiana and Mississippi nurse practitioner and physician assistant malpractice attorneys can help you fight for the maximum compensation available to you.
CALL NOW!How a New Orleans Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Help You
Navigating this legal process can be tough in the best of times, but it can be even tougher to focus on your case if you’re dealing with health problems or you’re worried about bills.
A Louisiana medical malpractice lawyer can devote full attention to your case.
An attorney from The Bowling Law Firm can help you:
File your case before the statute of limitations expires: You have a limited amount of time to file a medical malpractice case against a PA or NP. Louisiana gives victims one year from the date of discovery and no more than three years from the date of malpractice and Mississippi gives victims two years.
Gather evidence: Your lawyer can help you organize medical records, evidence of lost income, witness statements, and any other items that could help you show how negligence of a nurse practitioner or physician assistant caused you harm.
Consult with an expert witness: Testimony from expert witnesses can strengthen your case and help demonstrate the extent of the damage from medical malpractice by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Represent you at a Medical Review Panel: This is a unique requirement in some cases in Louisiana. Your lawyer can help you make your case to a panel of health care professionals before your malpractice claim moves forward.
Field settlement offers: Some medical malpractice cases settle out of court. We can advise you about the fairness of settlement offers or let you know if you should consider taking your case to trial.
Our New Orleans medical malpractice lawyers have decades of experience fighting for people like you.
When you’re ready to make your case and hold a negligent health care professional responsible, contact The Bowling Law Firm.
