Nagel Rice, LLP discusses ways to prove a medical malpractice case in court.

How Do You Prove Medical Malpractice in New Jersey?

By Greg Kohn
Partner

Medical errors and medical negligence do not always lead to a medical malpractice claim. Proving that a doctor or medical facility made an error or was negligent is not enough to prove medical malpractice in New Jersey. You must also prove an injury and damages to have a valid medical malpractice claim. Because cases involving malpractice can be extremely complex, consulting an experienced New Jersey medical malpractice attorney can increase your chance of success.

Legal Elements in a Medical Malpractice Case

In most cases involving medical malpractice, there are four basic legal elements that you must prove to be successful in recovering compensation. Those four elements are:

Doctor-Patient Relationship

For a doctor to owe any duty of care to you, a doctor-patient relationship must exist. The same applies in all cases involving medical malpractice. In most cases, consent to treatment or other forms you sign during your first visit or before you receive treatment is enough to establish the relationship, which then establishes the duty of care.

Violation of the Medical Standard of Care

The second element is proving that the error or negligence was a violation of the medical standard of care. The standard of care may differ depending on the situation. A medical expert is required to examine the medical records and determine what a reasonably trained medical provider in the same field would do in similar circumstances. The medical expert must also determine how the provider deviated from the accepted standard of care.

The Breach of Care Caused an Injury

Without an injury, negligence or errors may not rise to the level of malpractice. You must prove that the negligence or error directly resulted in or caused a physical injury that would not have occurred had it not been for the breach of care.

The Injury Resulted in Damages

In most cases, if the medical negligence or medical error resulted in an injury, the person also has other damages. You may incur financial damages, including the cost of medical treatments, personal care, and loss of income. Noneconomic damages, such as physical pain, scarring, permanent disability, and emotional distress, may also be included.

Evidence in a Medical Malpractice Claim

To prove medical malpractice, you need evidence that proves each of the above legal elements of a malpractice action. Your attorney conducts an extensive investigation to gather evidence. Examples of evidence used in a medical malpractice case include:

  • Copies of all documents from your medical files and records
  • Reports and testimony provided by medical experts
  • Depositions of the defendants, witnesses, and other individuals
  • Information gathered from medical resources, such as studies, research, etc.
  • Photographs and videos of your injuries
  • Proof of financial damages, including receipts, bills, statements, and proof of income

Contact a New Jersey Medical Malpractice Attorney for Assistance

An unpleasant outcome is not necessarily medical malpractice. However, it is usually best to speak with a New Jersey medical malpractice attorney to determine if you may have a malpractice claim if you suspect your medical provider caused your injury. Schedule a consultation with our New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers today.  

About the Author
Greg Kohn is a partner at Nagel Rice and specializes in complex civil litigation cases, including professional malpractice, personal injury, class actions, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation.  He has extensive experience representing clients in both state and federal court. Greg has tried many jury trials to verdict and has recovered over $50 million in settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and falls, and other catastrophic injury cases. Greg also handles medical malpractice cases, involving misdiagnoses, wrongful birth, and delayed cancer diagnosis. If you have questions regarding this article, you can contact Greg here.