Medical Malpractice

People place their health and their trust in medical professionals everyday. When that trust is violated by incompetence or negligence, the victims have the right to file suit for medical malpractice. Just as there is no limit to the suffering that a victim of malpractice must go through, there is no limit to punitive damages in the State of New York. The Law Firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine have a team of attorneys that is dedicated to securing the highest possible compensation for victims. We have successfully represented clients with cases involving birth injuries, brain injuries, paralysis, blindness, organ failure, infection, coma and amputation.

Attorneys for New York City, Long Island and the Greater New York Area

Despite all of the clamor we hear today about the damage that ‘frivolous’ medical malpractice lawsuits inflict upon America’s healthcare system, no amount of propaganda or misinformation can gloss over the fact that our hospitals, clinics and medical centers can be dangerous places. Even modest estimates concede that at least 45,000 Americans die each year from preventable injuries and illnesses caused by the negligence and sub-standard care of healthcare professionals. Other estimates place the average annual mortality rate nearer to 100,000. And those are just the people who die. The number of those who survive incidents of medical malpractice and live lives forever defined by the limits of debilitating injuries or conditions is undoubtedly many fold more.

Medical malpractice injuries and illnesses are usually caused by delay of treatment, incorrect diagnosis, delays in diagnosis, performing incorrect procedures or performing procedures without a patient’s consent. These errors in judgment or performance can lead to conditions much more serious than those that led the patient to seek medical help in the first place. Some of the most common injuries that medical malpractice attorneys encounter in their work include brain injuries, paralysis, scarring, blindness, organ damage or organ failure, coma or severe infections that require amputation of one or more limbs.

The law firm of RGG&L offers the residents of New York aggressive representation and top results for medical malpractice injuries. In addition to cases of birth injuries, brain injuries and organ failure, our firm has represented clients in cases of anesthesia complications, aneurysms, appendicitis, bleeding, heart attacks, infections and medication errors.

The Medical Malpractice Crisis: The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it

Today, rates on medical malpractice insurance – the money doctors pay insurance companies to protect them in the event of a lawsuit - are soaring, despite any empirical evidence to justify the climb in rates. Plenty of anecdotes float through the media about doctors abandoning states en masse, of defensive medicine costing hospitals billions every year, and of potential medical students abandoning their dreams to heal and comfort people, all because lawyers are making it impossible to practice medicine in the United States. But not a single authoritative study has been released to substantiate these claims as fact.

Plenty of data exists to show the opposite; that cases of medical malpractice are not increasing, that verdicts are not on the rise, and that it is harder than ever for victims of medical malpractice to obtain compensation anywhere close to the injuries they endure. But as far as the version of the story that the insurance industry wants the American people to accept, the only consistent fact in all of their assertions is this: medical malpractice insurance rates are soaring.

Perhaps one day the insurance industry will face questions it doesn’t want to answer. Questions like:

If only 1 in 10 medical malpractice victims even file a claim, what would happen if 1 in 5 were making claims? Or 1 in 3? How would less accessibility to the courts and less lawyers to help them alleviate such a situation?
How will less accountability from doctors in the future reduce the extremely high rates of medical malpractice that currently exist today?
Is the insurance industry shouldering any of the burden that doctors and medical professionals must carry because of the alleged increase in medical malpractice cases? If not, then why not? Especially when 2004 was one of the industry’s most profitable years in recent memory in the areas of property and casualty insurance?

But chances are they won’t ever have to answer such troubling questions. The insurance industry has powerful political friends that are actively intervening on its behalf, and shielding insurance companies from any culpability in the medical malpractice insurance crisis. Indeed, the chief spokesman and proponent of the insurance industry’s agenda is also the President of the United States. George Bush has made it clear that the top domestic initiative of his second term is to institute tort reform across a wide range of legal areas, and overturn laws that offer ordinary citizens some measure of defense against the agendas of large companies and insurance companies with unlimited financial and political resources.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, medical malpractice victims still have many rights that the experienced New York medical malpractice lawyers of RGG&L can help them exercise, especially in New York. Unlike many state medical malpractice laws in the nation, New York injury lawyers know better than to rely on the medical establishment to police and enforce the standards necessary to offer New Yorkers safe and secure healthcare environments. New York law recognizes that some medical providers are by their nature reactive, not proactive, and that only the consequences of lawsuits can ensure that they change their ways and practice the diligence so necessary in safeguarding every patient’s health. This is why New York institutes no damage caps on medical malpractice verdicts, and offers no legal privilege or safeguards to medical providers in cases of medical malpractice.

For aggressive and honest legal help in your medical malpractice claim, contact RGG&L today.

Blog for Medical Malpractice

Library for Medical Malpractice:

What to do When a New York Hospital Makes You Sick
Description: A new report shows that one out of four liability claims are associated with hospital acquired injuries and illnesses. Read this article to learn more and contact a Long Island medical malpractice attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
Medication Mistakes Can Often be Avoided
Description: Medication errors can often be prevented. Read this article to learn how you can avoid becoming a victim of prescription drug mistakes. If you or a family member has been injured by a drug overdose, medication mix-up or adverse drug interaction caused by medical negligence, you should contact a New York medical malpractice lawyer at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 today.
Six Common Factors That Lead to Medication Mistakes
Description: Prescription drug errors are a major problem in the United States. Read this article to find out the six common causes of medication mistakes. Contact an experienced Long Island medical malpractice lawyer at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 if you have been injured by a medication error.
Top Five Diseases That Are Commonly Misdiagnosed
Description: Read this article to find out the top five misdiagnosed diseases. If you or a family member has been injured by a misdiagnosis, you may be able to recover compensation. Contact a Long Island medical malpractice attorney at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 today for advice regarding your medical negligence case.
Misdiagnosed Hydrocephalus Can Lead to Brain Damage
Description: Misdiagnosed hydrocephalus can be deadly. Read this article to learn more about delayed diagnosis of hydrocephalus and the symptoms associated with this condition. If you or a loved one has suffered from medical malpractice in New York, you need to contact an experienced Long Island injury lawyer at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445.
Could Prescription Data Mining Lead to Drug Errors?
Description: Many pharmaceutical companies have been known to use prescription data mining to tailor sales pitches to doctors. Find out more about this practice and the common types of drug errors by reading this article. Contact the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at the law firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine at 800.734.9445 if you have been injured by a medication mistake.
Four Warning Signs of New York Medical Malpractice
Description: Are you wondering if you were the victim of New York medical malpractice? Read this article to discover four warning signs of malpractice and contact an experienced New York medical malpractice lawyer at the Law Firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene & Levine today at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
Misdiagnosed Colorectal Cancer Can Be Deadly
Description: Colorectal cancer is often misdiagnosed. This article reveals the symptoms of this life threatening condition and your rights as a victim of medical malpractice. If you have suffered from a delayed cancer diagnosis, you should contact the Law Firm of Rappaport, Glass, Greene & Levine today at 800.734.9445 for legal advice.
Undiagnosed Diabetes Can Cause Serious Problems
Description: Diabetes often goes undiagnosed, which can lead to serious, life threatening complications. Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine discuss undiagnosed diabetes cases in this informative article. Contact an experienced New York medical malpractice lawyer today at 800.734.9445 for legal advice regarding your undiagnosed or misdiagnosed diabetes case.
New York Medical Malpractice
Description: Medical malpractice comes in many forms and can significantly impact the lives of the patients and their families. Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine discuss New York medical malpractice lawsuits and compensation available for injured victims. Contact us at (800) 734-9445 if have been injured by medical malpractice in New York.