Medical malpractice is any mistake by a doctor or other healthcare professional that is so severe, it falls below standards of care for our community. This may sound like a rare problem -- and indeed, thousands of patients in Florida see doctors every day without problems. But when medical malpractice does happen, it's a serious betrayal of the trust we place in our healthcare system. And it's more common than you might think. One 1999 study in the National Academy Press found that medical errors cause 44,000 to 98,000 American deaths each year. Closer to home, the Florida Department of Health reports more than 41,000 complaints against our state's physicians in 2006-2007, a 10% increase from 2004-2005.

Any medical practitioner can commit medical malpractice, including nurses, nurse practitioners and mental-health professionals as well as all types of doctor. Hospitals, clinics and other care facilities may also be implicated in medical mistakes. Common examples of medical malpractice include:

• A doctor misdiagnoses or waits too long to diagnose a patient's condition
• A surgeon makes a serious mistake during an operation
• A pharmacist improperly fills or dispenses medication
• An anesthesiologist fails to monitor the effect of the anesthesia on the patient's condition during surgery
• A hospital mislabels medication, resulting in an overdose
• An OB/GYN fails to notice and respond to signs of fetal distress, such that the newborn suffers cerebral palsy or other birth injuries during the delivery

Many of these medical mistakes are painful and expensive to correct; some are irreversible, causing life-altering disabilities. And all of them are traumatizing for patients who trusted their doctors to do the right thing. When doctors make these serious mistakes, patients have the right to hold them legally and financially responsible for the results with a Florida medical malpractice claim. In a lawsuit, victims can win back the costs of the medical mistake, including lost wages and any future treatment, seek compensation for their lost quality of life and warn others about the irresponsibility and carelessness of the practitioners who hurt them.

Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice attorneys Cohn, Smith & Cohn represent people throughout the State of Florida who were injured by substandard care from a medical professional. Our attorneys have more than 35 years of experience representing injured clients. Because we're dedicated to representing injured patients, we understand the legal and medical complexities that a serious injury presents -- and we will handle your case with compassion and professionalism. Our goal is always to get you the best possible result from your claim and the fullest possible compensation to help you et the care you need and move on.

If you or someone you know has suffered injuries due to the negligence of a medical provider, contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn online or call us at 954-431-8100 or 305-624-9186 to set up a FREE consultation to discuss your medical malpractice claim.