Every year, around 85,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are filed in the United States. While that number may seem high, it is estimated that over 1 million people every year suffer because of the negligence of medical professionals.
What is Pre-Settlement Funding?
Pre-settlement funding is a type of legal funding that involves plaintiffs receiving money as an advance before a final settlement decision is made regarding their case. The money received from pre-settlement funding can be used towards:
- Mortgage payments
- Car payments
- Medical expenses
- Loan payments
- Tuition
- Day-to-day living expenses
You will only repay the money you accepted from pre-settlement funding if you win your case. If you do not win or settle your case, you will not have to pay back the money you received through pre-settlement funding.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital or healthcare professional acts negligently and causes harm to a patient. A medical malpractice case must conform to these characteristics for a lawsuit to be filed:
- There was an apparent violation of care- When medical professionals enter their profession, they agree to follow a universal standard of care for their patients. If they do not meet that standard of care, they can be held liable for any damages that result from their negligent actions.
- The negligence led to an injury- Unfortunately, it isn’t enough for a medical professional to act negligently. To file a medical malpractice lawsuit, an injury has to result from their negligence.
- The injury sustained was significant- Medical malpractice lawsuits are very difficult to win and can often take an extended amount of time to settle. Due to this, the plaintiff will have to have an injury significant enough to undergo this drawn-out process. The injury needs to have caused serious damage to the plaintiff’s life.
Medical malpractice can appear in many different forms and doesn’t necessarily conform to any specific type of medical care. Some common examples of medical malpractice are:
- Causing birth injuries- Healthcare professionals may cause birth injuries and birth defects by prescribing unsafe medication to a pregnant patient, not closely monitoring the baby’s health during the birthing process, or not ordering for a Cesarean section when it is needed.
- Psychiatric malpractice- This type of medical malpractice could involve many different aspects of improper mental health care. Many cases involve mixing two medications that react harmfully to each other or undergoing a treatment that further harms the patient’s mental health.
- Dental malpractice- This may include not addressing potential dental risks that they see or overall compromising a patient’s oral health.
- Failing to diagnose an illness- Illnesses need to be properly addressed to improve a patient’s health. Noticing an illness in a patient or not taking the time to notice their illness may cause them serious damage down the line.
- Misdiagnosing an illness- Incorrectly diagnosing an illness can lead to a patient seeking treatment that won’t benefit them and may even harm them. Additionally, the illness they do have could progress to a serious point if it isn’t addressed and treated.
- Surgical errors- Surgeons may leave medical tools inside a patient after their operation or operate on the wrong part of a patient’s body, among other errors.
- Anesthesia errors- Anesthesiologists can easily harm a patient by giving them an improper dosage, not taking note of any drug allergies that the patient may have, and keeping the patient under anesthesia for not enough time or for too much time, among others.
- Prescribing incorrect medication- Having the wrong medication prescribed to you can cause harmful effects, specifically if the medication contains chemicals you may be allergic to.
- Wrongful death- There is always a chance that medical issues can lead to death, and there might be nothing a healthcare professional can do to prevent it. However, if a doctor’s negligence directly causes the death, they may be held liable.
The injuries sustained from medical malpractice may require additional surgeries and treatments to fix. They may also cause the victim to lose faith in the healthcare industry as a whole. Those who wish to file medical malpractice lawsuits are often met with a laundry list of requirements such as ample evidence, a damages report, and expert testimony for the case to have a higher chance of plaintiff success. It is challenging to file a lawsuit against a medical professional or a healthcare facility because they are heavily insured and won’t easily admit to fault or malpractice.
How Pre-Settlement Funding Can Benefit You During Your Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Victims of medical malpractice cases often end up in financial disarray as a result of their injuries. Often additional surgeries and treatments are necessary to correct the damage done in the original incident. The financial toll that this can take on some families can be extreme. Credit cards may be maxed out, savings accounts and emergency funds may also be easily drained. Due to this, many medical malpractice victims could benefit financially from lawsuit loans.
Pending cases can last for years, especially those where medical malpractice is claimed. An investigation into the claim will require a lot of evidence, time, and money. For plaintiffs short on cash to tend to their injuries and finance proper representation, pre-settlement loans may be helpful. Pre-settlement loans can provide the injured party with the money they need to tend to their injuries and stay financially stable during their lengthy and expensive lawsuit. The money provided by this type of lawsuit loan gives the victim the money they need now, and they don’t need to pay it back if they don’t end up winning their case.
Contact The Legal Funding Group for Pre-Settlement Funding
If you are in the middle of a medical malpractice lawsuit and need financial assistance, contact The Legal Funding Group. We can offer you competitive pre-settlement funding that will provide you and your loved ones with the financial relief that you need during this trying time.