When you seek medical care, you trust that healthcare professionals will provide treatment that meets accepted medical standards. When that trust is broken, and you suffer an injury due to medical negligence, the consequences can be devastating for you and your family.
Medical malpractice cases are complex, requiring legal experience and a deep understanding of medical issues. At Bruning Law Firm, our St. Louis medical malpractice lawyers have the experience and resources to hold negligent healthcare providers accountable for the harm they cause.
St. Louis Medical Malpractice Guide
- Why Choose Bruning Law Firm?
- Medical Malpractice Compensation in St. Louis
- Where Does Medical Malpractice Occur in St. Louis?
- Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle
- Fighting the Insurance Companies and Medical Institutions
- What to Do After Suspected Medical Malpractice
- How Our St. Louis Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help
- Call Our St. Louis Medical Malpractice Attorneys Today
Why Choose Bruning Law Firm?
Medical malpractice cases in St. Louis are among the most challenging types of personal injury claims, requiring attorneys with first hand knowledge and significant resources.
At Bruning Law Firm, we’ve built our reputation on successfully handling complex medical malpractice cases throughout St. Louis, the Metro East region, and the surrounding areas.
Here’s why families throughout Missouri and Illinois trust us with their most serious medical malpractice claims:
Experience in Medical Malpractice Law Counts
Our St. Louis medical malpractice lawyers understand the intricate details of both medical and legal issues that arise in these cases. We’ve spent years studying medical procedures, hospital protocols, and the standards of care that healthcare providers must follow.
We know how to review medical records, identify potential malpractice, and work with medical experts to build compelling cases.
Our attorneys have handled cases involving surgical errors, misdiagnosis, medication mistakes, birth injuries, and many other types of medical negligence.
Extensive Network of Medical Experts
Medical malpractice cases require testimony from qualified medical experts who can explain complex medical issues to juries and demonstrate how the defendant’s care fell below accepted standards.
Over the years, we’ve built relationships with respected physicians, surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals who serve as expert witnesses in our cases.
These experts come from prestigious medical institutions and have the credentials to effectively challenge the testimony of defendants’ experts. Access to top-tier medical experts is vital for success in medical malpractice cases.
Resources to Handle Complex Litigation
Medical malpractice cases are expensive to pursue, often requiring substantial upfront costs for expert witnesses, medical record reviews, and extensive discovery.
Our firm has the resources to handle these costs while your case is pending, so you don’t have to worry about paying expenses out of pocket.
We also have the staff and technology necessary to manage large volumes of medical records and other evidence that typically accompanies medical malpractice cases.
Knowledge of Missouri and Illinois Medical Malpractice Law
St. Louis serves patients from both Missouri and Illinois, and medical malpractice laws differ significantly between these states. Our attorneys are familiar with the statutes of limitations, damage caps, and procedural requirements in both states.
We understand the certificate of merit requirements in Missouri and the affidavit requirements in Illinois. Whether your malpractice occurred at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis University Hospital, or any medical facility across the river in Illinois, we know the applicable laws and procedures that will govern your case.
Convenient Location and Personalized Service
Our office is conveniently located for clients throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, including those coming from the Metro East region of Illinois.
We understand that medical malpractice victims often have ongoing medical needs that make travel difficult, so we’re willing to meet with clients at their homes or even in medical facilities when necessary. We know that dealing with medical malpractice is emotionally devastating, and we provide the personal attention and support our clients need during this difficult time. You can reach our St. Louis office at (314) 735-8100.
We offer free consultations for medical malpractice cases and work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for your injuries.
Medical Malpractice Compensation in St. Louis
The compensation available in medical malpractice cases can be substantial, reflecting the serious nature of injuries caused by medical negligence.
Unlike other personal injury cases, medical malpractice often involves injuries that could have been completely prevented if the healthcare provider had followed proper procedures. Our St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys work to ensure you receive full compensation for all the ways medical negligence has affected your life.
Your compensation may include coverage for all additional medical expenses caused by the malpractice, including corrective surgeries, extended hospital stays, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care. If the malpractice has left you with permanent disabilities or chronic conditions, you may be entitled to compensation for future medical expenses and care needs that will continue for the rest of your life.
Medical malpractice often prevents people from returning to work temporarily or permanently. We fight to recover compensation for lost earnings and diminished earning capacity, working with economists and vocational experts to calculate the full financial impact of your injuries. This is particularly important in cases involving young victims who may have decades of working life ahead of them.
You may also be entitled to significant compensation for pain and suffering, which includes not only physical pain but also the emotional trauma of medical malpractice.
In wrongful death cases involving medical malpractice, surviving family members can recover compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the emotional devastation of losing a loved one due to preventable medical errors.
Where Does Medical Malpractice Occur in St. Louis?
Medical malpractice can occur at any healthcare facility, but certain locations in the St. Louis area handle higher volumes of complex cases, which, unfortunately, can lead to more opportunities for medical errors.
The major hospital systems in St. Louis, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis University Hospital in the Central West End, handle thousands of patients annually. While these are generally excellent facilities, the high volume and complexity of cases can sometimes lead to communication errors, surgical mistakes, or other forms of malpractice.
Smaller community hospitals throughout the St. Louis metro area, including those in St. Charles County and the Metro East region of Illinois, may have fewer resources and less experienced staff handling complex cases.
Our attorneys have handled malpractice cases at facilities throughout the region, from major academic medical centers to smaller community hospitals and outpatient clinics.
Emergency departments throughout St. Louis are particularly prone to medical malpractice due to the fast-paced environment and high patient volumes.
Misdiagnosis of heart attacks, strokes, and other emergency conditions frequently occurs when emergency room physicians are overwhelmed or fail to follow proper diagnostic protocols. We’ve handled cases involving emergency departments at hospitals throughout the region, including those near major shopping areas like the Delmar Loop and the Hill neighborhood.
Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle
Our St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys have experience with all medical negligence cases. Surgical errors are among the most serious forms of medical malpractice we handle, including wrong-site surgeries, foreign objects left inside patients, damage to organs or nerves during surgery, and post-surgical infections due to improper care.
These cases often involve multiple healthcare providers and require careful investigation to determine who was responsible for the errors.
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis cases make up a significant portion of our medical malpractice practice. When doctors fail to properly diagnose conditions like cancer, heart disease, stroke, or other serious medical conditions, patients may lose valuable treatment time that could have saved their lives or prevented permanent disabilities.
These cases require extensive review of medical records and expert testimony to show how a competent physician would have reached the correct diagnosis.
Medication errors occur when healthcare providers prescribe the wrong medication, incorrect dosages, or fail to check for dangerous drug interactions.
Hospital pharmacies and nursing staff can also make errors when preparing or administering medications. These cases can result in serious injuries or death, particularly when they involve elderly patients or those with multiple medical conditions.
Birth injury cases are among the most emotionally devastating types of medical malpractice. When obstetricians, pediatricians, or other healthcare providers make errors during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, the results can include permanent disabilities for the child, such as cerebral palsy, brain damage, or other neurological conditions that will require lifelong care.
Nursing home malpractice is, unfortunately, a common problem as our population ages. Neglect, medication errors, falls due to inadequate supervision, and failure to provide proper medical care can result in serious injuries or death for vulnerable elderly residents.
Fighting the Insurance Companies and Medical Institutions
Medical malpractice cases face unique challenges when it comes to insurance companies and institutional defendants.
Healthcare providers typically have substantial malpractice insurance coverage, and these insurance companies employ teams of experienced attorneys who have a focus in defending medical malpractice claims.
They often hire their medical experts to dispute your claims and may spend significant resources trying to show that the care provided met accepted standards.
Hospitals and large medical institutions have their own legal departments and risk management teams whose job is to minimize their exposure to malpractice claims.
They may argue that individual physicians, rather than the institution, were responsible for errors. They might also claim that the patient’s pre-existing conditions or failure to follow instructions contributed to the poor outcome.
These defendants often have access to internal quality assurance documents, peer review materials, and other information that can be helpful to your case, but they frequently try to keep this information confidential.
Our attorneys know how to use legal procedures to obtain this evidence and how to overcome common defenses raised by healthcare providers and their insurance companies.
Having experienced St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys levels the playing field. We know how to investigate medical malpractice cases thoroughly, work with qualified experts, and present complex medical issues in ways that juries can understand.
What to Do After Suspected Medical Malpractice
Your immediate priority should be getting appropriate medical care to address any injuries caused by the malpractice. It may require seeking treatment from different healthcare providers who can provide a second opinion and corrective treatment.
Request copies of all medical records related to your care, including hospital records, physician notes, laboratory results, imaging studies, and medication records. You have a legal right to obtain these records, and they will be key evidence in any potential malpractice case. Keep these records in a safe place and make copies for your attorneys.
Document the impact that the suspected malpractice has had on your life, including additional medical treatment you’ve needed, time missed from work, and how your injuries have affected your daily activities and relationships. Keep receipts for all medical expenses and other costs related to the malpractice.
Follow all recommendations from your new healthcare providers regarding treatment and recovery. Insurance companies and defense attorneys often argue that patients who don’t follow treatment recommendations aren’t really injured or aren’t taking their recovery seriously.
Most importantly, contact our St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys. Missouri has a two-year statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases, so time is critical. Medical malpractice cases also require compliance with specific procedural requirements, including obtaining affidavits or certificates from medical experts before filing lawsuits.
How Our St. Louis Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help
Medical malpractice cases are complex and require a deep knowledge of this area of the law. Our St. Louis attorneys handle every aspect, from investigation to trial if necessary.
We work with medical experts to evaluate care standards and determine if substandard care caused injuries. We manage the legal process, seek compensation for damages, and provide personal attention and support throughout.
We have extensive trial experience and aren’t afraid to take cases to trial when insurance companies refuse fair compensation.
Our team works with experts to ensure we’re seeking appropriate compensation for all damages, including future medical expenses.
Call Our St. Louis Medical Malpractice Attorneys Today
If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, don’t wait to seek legal help. The experienced personal injury attorneys in St. Louis at Bruning Law Firm have the knowledge, resources, and dedication necessary to take on healthcare providers and their insurance companies.
We understand the devastating impact that medical negligence can have on patients and families, and we’re committed to fighting for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Contact our St. Louis office today at (314) 735-8100 to schedule your free consultation. We’ll review your case, answer your questions, and explain your legal options with no obligation on your part.
Client Testimonial
"When other law firms failed me. Bruning Law Firm came through for me. They did a great job and were able to get me more compensation than I expected. Couldn't be more pleased. Truly glad these folks were there for me. Took care of everything. Truly pleased. Tthank you Ryan and Alice." - Joseph F.
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 2020
Read more reviews on Google!