Bill Closes Loophole Impacting Adult Children In Florida Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice in Tampa is a serious problem. It happens on an unfortunately frequent basis and can have potentially devastating consequences for patients and their families. Injured parties have the right to hold negligent medical providers accountable but a loophole in state law previously prevented adult children of single parents from filing a claim. Our Tampa medical malpractice attorney explains more about the problem and how a new bill can help people in this situation get a sense of justice and the compensation they need to move forward after.

Your Rights In Filing A Medical Malpractice Claim

Medical malpractice involves negligence on the part of doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, or other medical providers involved in a patient’s care. Negligence means they either took actions that put you or your loved one at risk or failed to take the proper precautions. When you are a victim, or when medical malpractice results in the death of a family member, you have the right to hold the provider accountable.

The National Institutes of Health states that roughly one out of every three clinicians will be sued for medical malpractice at some point in their career. However, not all medical malpractice claims are successful. To get the outcome you want and the total compensation you need to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial losses you suffer, you need to be able to prove the following:

• That the medical providers owed a duty of care to the patient;
• That they made mistakes or errors that otherwise could have been prevented;
• That those mistakes negatively impacted the patient;
• That the patient or their family members suffered financial losses as a result.

New Bill Helps Protect Your Rights To Compensation

Our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys protect the rights of patients, helping them get the compensation they are entitled when medical mistakes and errors occur. In the event of wrongful death, we get a sense of justice for surviving family members.

Unfortunately, under the Florida Statutes, a loophole in wrongful death law negatively impacts the rights of adult children of single parents. While those with a current or previously married parent are legally entitled to file a wrongful death claim, adult children of single, unmarried parents are not, regardless of whether their cause meets the above criteria. Florida House Bill 129 hopes to change that.

The bill, co-sponsored by Hillsborough County Representative Mike Beltran, aims at closing the loophole in what has been referred to as the state’s “free-kill” law. If passed, it will help grieving families and send a message to medical providers, ensuring they can be held accountable for medical mistakes and errors that otherwise could have been prevented.

Contact Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Medical malpractice in Tampa is an unfortunately common problem that can have devastating impacts on your family. At Greco & Wozniak, P.A., we hold negligent medical providers accountable. To discuss your rights in filing a claim, call or contact our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys and request a consultation today.

Sources:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470573/

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.21.html

myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=78723