Medical Malpractice Lawyers Serving San Bernardino

Southern California has some of the best doctors and medical technology in the world. It’s no wonder, therefore, that many individuals who are able to do so come to hospital facilities in San Bernardino, like St. Bernardine Medical Center, for medical care and treatment. However, even the brightest doctors and the presence of the most advanced technology do not guarantee that every medical procedure will be successful. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals may experience a lapse in judgment or may use a medical instrument improperly. This can cause the patient to experience painful injuries, mental stress and distress, and require additional medical treatment. Attorney Richard Rohde is a medical malpractice lawyer serving San Bernardino County with over 15 years of experience.

Common Types of Serious Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can cause not only painful injuries, but the very life of the patient is often placed in jeopardy. Emergency medical care is often required to correct:

• Cardiac tamponade, a condition which results in the buildup of fluid around the heart due to an injury to the pericardium. If left untreated, cardiac tamponade can deprive your body of oxygen-rich blood and lead to shock or cardiac arrest. The pericardium (which surrounds the heart) can be injured during an angiography or during the insertion of a pacemaker or catheter.
• Infection and sepsis: When an individual’s immune system is compromised or the skin and muscle tissue (which acts to shield the individual from harmful bacteria) is opened and exposed (such as during a surgery), an individual’s risk of developing an infection and/or sepsis are dramatically increased. Left untreated, infections can spread and eventually lead to death.
• Misdiagnosis: When a doctor or nurse evaluates a patient’s signs, symptoms, and test results and diagnoses the patient with the wrong disease or condition – or, worse, fails to notice any disease or condition at all – a patient’s likelihood of surviving the condition can be negatively impacted. Unless the patient thinks to obtain a second opinion, serious or even life-threatening conditions may be left untreated and may cause additional pain and suffering to the patient.

Proving a Medical Malpractice Case in San Bernardino Courts

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have a medical malpractice case simply because you didn’t obtain the outcome you desired from your procedure or treatment. Instead, medical malpractice suits are typically filed where the medical professional involved made an error or mistake that no other reasonable medical professional would have made in that circumstance. This can require you and San Bernardino medical malpractice attorney Richard Rohde to obtain and present (at minimum):

• Your complete medical records and history showing the nature of any preexisting conditions, the type of procedure or treatment your medical professional was supposed to obtain, and any notes regarding the procedure or treatment itself;
• An evaluation of the medical professional’s actions in light of his or her education, experience, and any standards in the local medical community – all of which will likely require consultation with one or more medical expert witnesses. These same witnesses may need to provide additional evidence or testimony indicating what a reasonable medical professional standing in the shoes of your doctor or nurse should have done under the circumstances.
• Proof of an injury: Whether you needed additional care and treatment as a result of the medical mistake or your life expectancy was reduced, you must be able to establish that the medical error harmed you in some tangible way.

Contact Rohde Law Office, APC Today – Serving San Bernardino County

If you or a loved one were harmed by a surgical error, misdiagnosis, or other act of medical carelessness or purposeful negligence in San Bernardino, contact Rohde Law Office today @ (626) 593-5786. We will fight aggressively to help you get the proper medical attention you need, obtain compensation for your injuries and help you begin to get your life back in order.