Shreveport Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Trusted Medical Malpractice Attorney in Shreveport, LA

We trust doctors and nurses to provide high-quality medical treatment and to use good judgment when doing so. But doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are human. When a mistake happens, it can lead to a life-changing injury or even death. If you suspect medical negligence, a Shreveport Medical Malpractice Lawyer can evaluate your case and protect your rights.

Why You Should Trust Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates

Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates is a law firm that obtains compensation, justice and answers in cases involving medical negligence. We have the experience, knowledge and resources needed to get results in these challenging cases. Our founding attorney brings over 35 years of experience to these matters and a reputation for being an unwavering advocate for her clients.

We represent clients in medical malpractice cases involving:

• Doctor error
• Hospital error
• Nursing error
• Surgery error
• Wrongful and missed diagnosis
• Defective medical products
• Defective drugs
• Birth injury
• Nursing home neglect and abuse
• And other medical mistakes

Attorney Jacqueline Scott can review your case, explain the legal process, and discuss the value of your case. From 2003 to present, she has consistently been nominated by SB Magazine’s Lawyers Poll as a “favorite.” Awards and recognition are not a guarantee of future outcomes. Criteria vary by organization.

Success In Medical Malpractice Cases

For more than 30 years, Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates has represented clients in personal injury cases involving medical malpractice, car accidents, and other acts of negligence. Our firm has a long record of success in these cases, and understands how to build a strong and persuasive case for you.

Working with doctors and medical consultants, we will uncover how the malpractice occurred and who was responsible. Our goal will be to maximize the compensation you receive. We also assist injured clients with truck accident, motorcycle accident, workplace accident, construction injury, catastrophic work injury, and slip and fall claims.

The Legal Process

In a medical malpractice case, the monetary damages can be large and the potential damage to professional reputations great. For these reasons, hospitals and medical providers often resist paying fair compensation in medical malpractice cases.

Many medical malpractice claims in Louisiana must first undergo a medical review panel process before a patient can pursue compensation in court. However, some claims may follow different procedures, and others may be resolved through a settlement without litigation. Other injury matters may involve product liability, oil & gas injury, brain & spinal cord injury, or wrongful death.

What Qualifies as Medical Malpractice in Louisiana

According to the Louisiana Patient’s Compensation Fund’s 2024 Annual Report, the fund has paid more than $3 billion in medical malpractice claims since its establishment in 1975, including more than $1.2 billion in medical expenses. As of 2024, the fund was paying ongoing medical expenses for 165 patients, totaling approximately $2 million per month. The report also documented more than 4,000 pending claims.

Not every poor medical outcome qualifies for a medical malpractice claim. Medical malpractice generally occurs when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other healthcare provider fails to meet the applicable standard of care. When that failure causes a patient to suffer harm, the injured party may have legal grounds to pursue compensation. Related legal services may also include premises liability, and workers’ compensation.

Medical malpractice can happen at any stage of treatment, from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up care. Common examples of medical negligence can include:

• Inadequate monitoring
• Surgical errors
• Failure to properly diagnose an illness
• Misinterpreting diagnostic test results
• Communication failures
• Mistakes during labor and delivery

A successful medical malpractice claim should be backed by compelling evidence. Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates can investigate what happened, identify the parties who may be responsible, and gather the evidence necessary to pursue your medical malpractice claim.

Compensation You May Be Owed

A serious medical error can lead to tremendous consequences for the injured patient. Beyond needing further treatments, an injury can lead to missed time from work, long-term limitations, and unexpected financial hardships.

Compensation from a medical malpractice claim may account for:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and other income
• Reduced future earning ability
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disability or permanent impairment
• Future medical care and related needs

The amount of compensation that you receive depends on factors such as the severity and permanence of your injury and what long-term setbacks you suffer. Legal support can play a crucial role in pursuing a favorable resolution that accounts for your injuries, financial losses, and future medical needs. The firm may also provide legal assistance with criminal defense, expungement, DWI, and probation and parole violation matters.

What to Expect During the Medical Malpractice Claims Process

Before you can pursue compensation, your attorney will need to investigate the circumstances surrounding your injury and determine whether there is sufficient evidence showing that a health care provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care.

This investigation may include:

• Obtaining medical records
• Reviewing your treatment history
• Consulting medical workers
• Identifying the parties who may be responsible.

Establishing a connection between the medical error and your injury is particularly important. A provider may make an error without necessarily being legally responsible for every medical problem that follows. Louisiana also has special procedures for many medical malpractice claims that must be completed before a case can proceed to court. Other legal services may include estate planning and entertainment law.

Challenges You Could Face Without Strong Legal Support

The Shreveport-Bossier City metroplex employs 260 physicians, and medical malpractice claims are often legally complex. One early hurdle that injured parties face involves establishing fault and proving that the doctor or nurse failed to deliver the applicable standard of care.

The negligent party or their representative may argue that the treatment you received was adequate and reflected an acceptable standard of care. They may also try to downplay the severity of your injuries and the long-term setbacks you suffered. Depending on the circumstances, other claims may involve maritime, offshore claims, Jones Act matters, or plant explosion injury.

Doctors and hospitals often have their own attorneys whose job is to contest medical malpractice claims. They may delay settlement offers or try to pressure you to accept an unfavorable amount of compensation. Without strong legal support, these and other challenges could seriously harm your chances of securing the compensation that you are owed. When you hire an attorney, you send a clear message that you will not tolerate any efforts to downplay the harm you endured.

Why You Should Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Whether you are recovering in Broadmoor, Highland, South Highlands, or elsewhere in Shreveport, your top priority should be to hire a medical malpractice lawyer who can pursue compensation that addresses the harm and setbacks that you suffered. A Shreveport medical malpractice attorney brings years or decades of experience relying on medical malpractice laws when managing a complex medical malpractice claim.

Your attorney can:

• Explain the injury claims process
• Gather evidence to support your claim
• Document your injuries and setbacks
• Pursue direct talks with the hospital or responsible party
• Advocate for your interests at every step of the process

If the negligent party does not offer a fair settlement, your attorney can pursue compensation through a civil court action. Alternative dispute resolution and other legal services may also involve mediation, public finance transactions, and Social Security disability matters.

FAQs

What Qualifies as Medical Malpractice in Louisiana?

What qualifies as medical malpractice in Louisiana is generally situations where a healthcare provider fails to deliver an acceptable standard of care and subsequently causes a patient harm. Examples can include surgical mistakes, medication errors, birth injuries, and failures to properly diagnose or treat a medical condition.

Suffering a medical injury alone may not be sufficient for pursuing compensation, which is why you should secure legal support soon after you suffer harm due to medical negligence.

How Much Compensation Can I Recover From a Medical Malpractice Claim in Louisiana?

How much compensation you can recover from a Louisiana medical malpractice claim depends on your injuries, financial losses, future medical needs, and other circumstances. A strong medical malpractice injury claim should fully reflect the harm you endured, including both tangible and intangible losses. When you work with an experienced injury lawyer, you gain trusted support that can directly influence the outcome of your injury claim.

How Long Does a Medical Malpractice Claim Take in Louisiana?

How long a medical malpractice claim takes in Louisiana depends on the complexity of the case, the medical evidence involved, and whether the claim is resolved through direct talks or proceeds to court. Claims may need to go through a medical review panel process, which can add significant time before litigation begins. Cases involving disputed liability, severe injuries, or extensive medical evidence may take longer to resolve.

How Much Does a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Cost?

How much a medical malpractice lawyer costs often depends on how the attorney structures legal fees. Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates offers free initial consultations in personal injury cases and works on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay an attorney fee unless the firm obtains compensation for you. This arrangement allows injured patients and their families to pursue a claim without paying attorney fees upfront.

Put Our Experience to Work for You

For a consultation with Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, contact our office online.

Initial consultations in personal injury cases are free, and we do not charge any fee until we obtain compensation for you.* We serve clients in the greater Bossier City-Shreveport area and across northwest Louisiana.

*Clients may be responsible for costs and expenses.
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Shreveport, LA Medical Malpractice Resources

• What Should I Do When I First Discover Medical Malpractice?