If I believe that the eye doctor lasered my retina and cause me to partially lose my vision, can I seek compensation?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I believe that the eye doctor lasered my retina and cause me to partially lose my vision, can I seek compensation?
Asked on June 29, 2015 under Malpractice Law, Florida
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
If the doctor was negligent, or careless, in lasering your retina and damaging your vision, then yes, you may be able to get compensation. The key is that the doctor must basically have done something wrong; it can't be that the doctor did what any reasonable doctor would have, but you just had, unfortunately, a bad outcome, since the law accepts that sometimes the doctor does everything right but the outcome is bad. (Medicine is still an "art" rather than a "science"--sometimes patients do not do well no matter what is tried, or how skillful the doctor.) Rather, doctors are only liable if at fault.
If that were the case here, then for a permanent partial vision loss, you may be entitled to consider compensation for that life impairment ("pain and suffering"), as well as compensation for any additional medical costs and lost wages or reduced earning potential. Based on what you write, it would be worthwhile to consult in detail with a medical malpractice attorney about your case; many such attorneys provide a free initial consultation, and you can ask the attorney's office about this before making an appointment.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.