Can You File a Medical Malpractice Claim Against Urgent Care?

Urgent care centers provide non-emergency medical care for a variety of conditions, and the medical professionals who work there are still responsible for providing the standard of care. A Maryland medical malpractice lawyer can help you sue an urgent care or their healthcare providers if they provided medical care that did not meet the acceptable standard of care. To file your claim, you have to prove the at-fault party’s negligence. Your allegations must also be supported by a qualified medical expert.

If your health was compromised by substandard medical care you received at one of these facilities, you could recover monetary damages. A medical malpractice lawyer in your area will explain the state laws that mean you can file a medical malpractice claim against the urgent care. Your lawyer will help you recover your medical bills, pain and suffering, and more.

What Constitutes Medical Negligence at an Urgent Care?

For your case to qualify as malpractice and entitle you to compensation, you must have received treatment that fell below the appropriate standard of care. While this can mean a doctor was negligent, it could also mean:

• A lab test returned imprecise or erroneous results
• A patient’s medication allergy was overlooked
• A diagnosis was missed, delayed, or misinterpreted
• An infection was not detected or was not treated

This list is not exhaustive. Your medical malpractice attorney will review your medical records with a qualified medical expert to document the validity of your claim. The physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers at an urgent care are required to provide care that meets the acceptable standard just as any hospital or other healthcare facility would. 

What Are the Elements of Negligence That Support a Medical Malpractice Claim?

The urgent care or its staff, lab, or pharmacy must have been negligent for you to recover damages. To prove their negligence, your lawyer will document its components, including:

• The urgent care owed you a duty of care to meet the acceptable standard of care.
• The urgent care provided service that breached their responsibility to provide acceptable care.
• You suffered injuries due to the urgent care treatment. 
• Your injuries resulted in financial expenses.

Your lawyer will create a detailed list of your recoverable damages. They will also support your monetary request with medical bills and other supporting documents.

How Can You Prove Your Medical Care Did Not Meet the Acceptable Standard?

To prove medical malpractice, your case must be built on the evidence. Your legal team will collect your medical records that document every part of the treatment you received at the urgent care facility. Additional supporting evidence can include:

• Medical records prior to your visit to the urgent care
• Medical records for post-urgent care treatment
• Statements from other urgent care patients and caregivers
• Photos of any physical injuries you sustained at the urgent care

Your case requires a solid collection of evidence that could be difficult to compile on your own. The law firm that handles your case will collect it for you and submit it to the insurance company in an organized and timely fashion. It will also accompany a demand letter outlining your compensation request.

What Compensation Can You Recover for Urgent Care Medical Malpractice?

Restoring your health after a medical mistake can take time. It can create a plethora of new medical expenses at the same time as it costs you income not working to support yourself and your family. Your lawyer will help you recover these monetary expenses and losses, including:

• Treatment costs, including medical bills, rehab and therapy, treatment-related travel expenses, assistive medical devices, and in-home medical support
• Case-related loss of income, including full- and part-time wages, business income, and freelance and gig-economy income
• Mental, physical, and emotional pain and suffering, including compensation for disfiguring or disabling injuries

Every client is unique and will have a specific set of recoverable damages. Your lawyer will determine the value of your case based on your specific medical condition and ongoing recovery needs.

Why Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer to Sue an Urgent Care?

Recovering from a medical mistake can take a physical and emotional toll. You will need time to concentrate on taking care of yourself or an injured family member. Hiring a lawyer can help you avoid losing valuable time in investigating, preparing, and filing your insurance claim or medical malpractice lawsuit.

They will:

• Update you as your case progresses
• Negotiate a settlement with the insurer
• Handle all case-related communication
• Assign an accurate value to your case

A lawyer will also bring familiarity with state and local law and a team of resources to your case. Most will represent you on a contingency fee basis, meaning they are only compensated when you are, and you will owe nothing if you do not receive compensation. 

How do You Find an Expert to Support Your Medical Malpractice Claim?

Because medical malpractice is challenging to prove, your lawsuit will require the support of a medical expert. They must examine your medical records and the compiled evidence in your case in detail and agree with your allegation of malpractice. 

The expert must be on par with the professional who treated you and have similar or greater years of experience in the same field. Finding and consulting with a qualified expert can be a difficult part of your case. The lawyer who represents you will handle this. 

Your lawyer will also file this required supporting document with your lawsuit or within the allotted time. They will also help you meet all other required notification and filing deadlines. 

Get Help Getting Compensation From a Negligent Urgent Care

If you or someone you love was treated at an urgent care center and the care you received was negligent, our law firm can help you recover damages. Our Maryland personal injury lawyers can explain the steps we will take to build the strongest possible case for you. 

Learn more about how you can file a medical malpractice claim against urgent care by contacting our consultation team at MD Accident Law.