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Products Liability vs. Medical Malpractice

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When a patient is injured by a medical device in a hospital or medical treatment setting, the most immediate response is typically to seek damages in a defective products claim. However, it may also be true that damages may be awarded in connection with medical malpractice as a result of the incident.

The good thing is that claimants do not have to choose which to pursue: products liability or medical malpractice. Claimants are eligible to fight for damages under all available legal theories. As such, it is very important to understand when you are eligible for multiple awards or for damages under multiple legal theories.

In the case of a patient injured by a medical device in the course of treatment, it is important to make the distinction between the two legal theories at play.

Products Liability

Under the theory of products liability: (1) a claimant must have been injured; (2) the defective medical device must have been defectively designed or manufactured or packaged/promoted with language that failed to properly warn of any inherent danger related to the device's use; and (3) the defect or improper marketing was identified as the cause of your injuries.

To successfully win a products liability claim, it is important to understand that you are not entitled to damages if you were never actually injured by the defective device.

Medical Malpractice

In the context of an injury caused by a defective medical device, medical malpractice typically comes into play when the physician, nurse or technician improperly operates the medical device or even fails to recognize that the device is defective when other qualified medical professionals in their position would have understood that it posed a significant danger to the patient.

There are many ways a medical professional commit medical malpractice, but essentially, when a medical professional, be it a doctor or a nurse or EMT, fails to carry out the standard of care as recognized by the medical industry (and identified as common to other qualified medical professionals in the same circumstance), any resulting injuries may entitle the patient eligible to medical malpractice damages.

It is advisable that you seek the counsel of an experienced medical malpractice attorney like those of Panio Law Offices. We are very experienced in negotiating personal injury claims and litigating medical malpractice cases. Our attorneys know well the intricacies of Illinois medical malpractice law. We will work assiduously to ensure you are awarded all of the damages to which you are entitled.

Call us at (708) 928-8680. We can help!

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