California Medical Malpractice Lawyer
California Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Thousands of California residents trust all types of medical professionals to provide safe and effective care every day, but medical professional negligence is one of the leading causes of accidental injuries and deaths in the United States each year. If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a medical professional’s negligence or misconduct, you need to speak with a California medical malpractice lawyer right away.
Representing Victims of Medical Malpractice Throughout California
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have many years of experience representing California clients in a wide range of personal injury cases, including medical malpractice suits. If any healthcare professional has injured you because of negligence or any type of professional misconduct, our team will do everything we can to pursue accountability and recover compensation for your damages as efficiently as possible.
With our help, you can focus on your recovery while we build your case. Trust our team to ensure your case meets all statutory deadlines, includes all relevant evidence and witness testimony, and aims to secure maximum compensation for your damages. Medical malpractice cases are generally more challenging to win than most other personal injury cases in California, but we are confident we can guide you to a positive conclusion and the recovery you deserve.
Common Types of Medical Malpractice
It’s possible for medical malpractice to happen in many ways. Most of these cases will refer to a standard of care, or the level of treatment the victim should have received for their condition. When a medical professional such as a doctor, nurse, or surgeon deviates from the standard of care and/or is negligent in a manner that results in harm to their patient, it is medical malpractice. Some of the most commonly reported types of medical malpractice include:
- Surgical errors, such as operating on the wrong body part, performing an operation under the influence of drugs or alcohol that results in patient harm, or causing a traumatic internal injury due to incompetence.
- Medication errors, such as prescribing the wrong medication, wrong dosage, or failing to account for drug interactions or patient allergies.
- Misdiagnosis, which can include failure to deliver a timely diagnosis due to negligence or diagnosing a patient incorrectly, causing them to undergo incorrect treatment that results in harm.
- Birth injuries, which can affect both mothers and their infants before or during childbirth. Failure to monitor fetal vital signs, failure to recognize signs of fetal distress, or failure to recognize the need for a C-section are all potential causes of birth injury claims.
These are just a few examples of how medical malpractice can happen and cause tremendous harm to patients in various ways. If you are unsure whether you have experienced medical malpractice, it is crucial to consult an experienced California personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible. They can review the details of your situation and explain whether you have grounds for legal recourse against the medical professional who injured you or a loved one.
Filing Your Medical Malpractice Case
Similar to most other personal injury cases in California, filing a medical malpractice suit will require proof that a medical professional was negligent and their negligence directly caused harm. However, it is important to understand that medicine is inherently uncertain, and it is possible for honest mistakes to happen in complex medical scenarios. Your attorney can help you determine whether your situation is grounds for a medical malpractice suit.
California law requires you to send advance notice of your intent to file suit before you actually submit the case to the court. It will also be vital to obtain expert witness testimony in support of your case. This individual must have the same medical board certifications as the defendant, and they must provide a clear explanation as to how the defendant violated the standard of care in your situation.
Claiming Compensation for Medical Malpractice
The objective of any personal injury case in California is for the injured plaintiff to hold the defendant accountable for their damages and recover compensation. Just as in any other personal injury case, the plaintiff has the right to seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages. However, California does set a limit on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.
Economic damages are straightforward in most cases. The plaintiff has the right to seek repayment of any economic losses they suffered because of the defendant’s actions. In most medical malpractice cases, these would include medical expenses incurred for fixing the damage done by the defendant as well as the cost of the medical care they would need in the future if they suffered severe harm. They also have the right to claim compensation for lost income.
If your injury from medical malpractice has diminished your capacity to work, you can seek compensation for lost wages as well as your lost future earning capacity. You may be able to claim compensation for the income you were unable to earn while you were recovering from your injury, and if you are unable to return to work in the future due to the severity of your injury, you can claim compensation for lost future earning capacity as well.
When it comes to non-economic damages, these include physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological trauma you experienced because of the defendant’s actions. These are relatively subjective abstract damages, so it is often difficult for an injured plaintiff to determine how much they are able to recover from a defendant. Your California medical malpractice lawyer can help you determine an amount that fits within the limitations for pain and suffering set by state law.
Ultimately, medical malpractice cases are inherently challenging in several ways, and success with your case will hinge on the capabilities and commitment of your legal counsel. An experienced California medical malpractice lawyer can help you maximize the results of your case and guide you through your proceedings efficiently, reducing the time it takes for you to recover a case award.
Easton & Easton is ready to provide the legal counsel you need in this situation. The sooner you reach out to our team, the sooner we can start building a case that aims to maximize your recovery and hold the defendant accountable for the harm they have done.
FAQs
How Much Is a Medical Malpractice Claim Worth in California?
The potential value of a medical malpractice claim in California hinges on several factors, namely the severity of the injury and the extent of its effects on the victim. Just like in any other personal injury case, the plaintiff has the right to claim full repayment of their economic losses, but state law does limit compensation for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases. Your attorney can explain what to expect in terms of compensation for your damages.
What Is the Advance Notice Requirement for Medical Malpractice Suits in California?
The advance notice requirement for medical malpractice suits in California means you must notify a healthcare professional that you intend to sue them in advance of filing your claim. California law requires a plaintiff to send a notice of intent to file suit against the defendant at least 90 days before the actual filing of their case with the court. Your California medical malpractice lawyer can explain all the prerequisites for filing this type of case.
How Do You Prove Liability for Medical Malpractice in California?
Proving liability for medical malpractice in California means showing that the defendant in your claim was negligent in a manner that violated your standard of care and resulted in actual harm. You may need various forms of evidence and witness testimony in order to prove liability for medical malpractice, and you may also need testimony from an expert witness who holds the same medical board certifications as the defendant in your case.
Why Do I Need to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer?
You need to hire a California medical malpractice lawyer because this type of personal injury case will be inherently more challenging to resolve than most other personal injury claims. You face additional prerequisites for filing your case, restrictions on the types and amounts of compensation you can claim, and a defendant who likely has robust legal counsel on their side. You’re more likely to win your case and maximize your recovery with an attorney’s help.
How Much Will It Cost to Hire a California Medical Malpractice Lawyer?
The cost to hire a California medical malpractice lawyer will only be a percentage of your case award when you choose Easton & Easton to represent you, and we can only charge a fee if we are successful with your case. Under our contingency fee policy for legal fees, our clients do not pay anything to our firm if we are unable to secure compensation for them. If we do win, this policy ensures your legal fees do not overtake your recovery.
The right legal representative can have a tremendous positive influence on your experience with filing a medical malpractice suit and the quality of the outcome you achieve. Easton & Easton has successfully represented many clients in all kinds of medical malpractice cases throughout California, and we are ready to put this experience to work for you. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation with a California medical malpractice lawyer.
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern California, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
What Our Clients Say
Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
-Allee
Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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