Connecticut Doctor Negligence Lawyers

Filing a Doctor or Nurse Malpractice Claim

When we visit the doctor or go to the hospital, we expect to receive a certain level of care. In fact, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are required to provide all patients with an acceptable standard of care—but this doesn’t always happen. When doctors and nurses are negligent, innocent patients suffer the consequences.

If you believe you or someone you love was the victim of medical malpractice, reach out to RisCassi & Davis, P.C. right away to learn how we can help you protect your rights. You could be entitled to financial compensation for your resulting additional medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, and our doctor and nurse negligence lawyers in Connecticut can fight to maximize your recovery. Since 1955, our highly respected firm has successfully secured tens of millions of dollars for injured individuals and the families of those wrongfully killed, including some of the largest injury settlements and verdicts in Connecticut history.

The first step in your recovery is reaching out to RisCassi & Davis, P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation. Call (860) 245-2412 or contact us online to get started.

Can You Sue a Doctor for Malpractice?

Doctors are expected to provide a certain acceptable standard of care to patients. This means listening to and analyzing patients’ symptoms, conducting or ordering necessary diagnostic tests, informing patients of their treatment options and the possible risks, and referring patients to specialists when appropriate, among other things. While the vast majority of doctors live up to this standard of care, some do not. Regardless of a doctor’s intent to cause harm, if he or she does not provide you with an acceptable standard of care and you are injured or harmed as a result, you could have grounds for a case.

Can You Sue a Doctor for Negligence in CT? 

Yes, you can sue a doctor for negligence in Connecticut. 

The process involves filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, and you must demonstrate the following elements:

• Duty of Care: Establish that the doctor owed you a duty of care, typically through a doctor-patient relationship.
• Breach of Duty: Show that the doctor breached this duty by not adhering to the standard of care expected from a competent doctor in similar circumstances.
• Causation: Prove that the breach directly caused your injury or harm.
• Damages: Demonstrate that you suffered actual damages, such as physical injury, emotional distress, additional medical expenses, or lost income, due to the negligence.

Additionally, while it is possible to sue the doctor directly for negligence, in some cases, the doctor’s employer may be legally liable. This could be the case if a hospital hired a doctor who had a known history of malpractice or if a medical facility failed to take any meaningful action to remove a doctor who had been demonstrably negligent in the past, for example.

Connecticut has specific statutes and regulations governing medical malpractice claims, including a statute of limitations, which is the time limit within which you must file your lawsuit. It's advisable to consult with a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice in Connecticut to understand your rights and navigate the legal process effectively.

Grounds for a Medical Negligence Case in CT

In order to have grounds to bring a negligence case against a doctor, you must be able to prove all of the following elements:

• A doctor-patient relationship existed between you and the doctor
• The doctor was somehow negligent (note: a poor outcome does not necessarily indicate negligence)
• You were injured or suffered some other harm (worsened condition, illness, etc.)
• Your injuries/harm were caused by the doctor’s negligence
• You suffered damages, whether economic or non-economic

It’s important to note that just because a doctor struggles to diagnose a rare disease or enacts a treatment plan that ultimately does not result in you being healed, this does not constitute negligence. You must prove that the doctor somehow failed to uphold the standard of care; usually, this requires the testimony of expert witnesses.

Call our office at (860) 245-2412 to schedule your complimentary consultation with our Connecticut doctor malpractice attorneys today.