Doctors, nurses and other health care providers spend a great deal of time learning how to treat a great variety of illnesses and physical maladies. As a group they are professionals dedicated to helping alleviate the ailments that can plague mankind. Unfortunately, health care providers can also make mistakes. When mistakes are made the effects can be devastating. In fact, according to the National Academy of Sciences, approximately 98,000 Americans die from "medical mistakes" each year.

Medical malpractice is a form of negligence involving a medical treatment provider. If someone is injured as a result of a treatment provider's deviation from the standard of care, that treater may be liable for the injury that has occurred. The determination of whether a medical professional has met the standard of care is based on a comparison to other professionals in the same field. In other words, what would a reasonably competent medical professional practicing in the same field as the defendant do under the circumstances that the defendant was facing with respect to care and treatment of the patient?

Medical malpractice does not occur every time there is a bad outcome from treatment. The law generally recognizes the practice of medicine as an "art" rather than as an exact science. Therefore, some latitude is given to practitioners with respect to the manner in which they choose to address the problems of specific patients.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of possible malpractice, call O'Neill Kellner & Green at 802-865-4700 or click here to submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations so please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.

More Information Types of Medical Malpractice Damages Cerebral Palsy Nursing Homes Lasik	Resources Lectric Law Library Lawcopedia's: Medical Malpractice New England Journal of Medicine Agency for Quality Health Care and Research Anatomy of the Human Body Workers Compensation Agencies National Library of Medicine Physician Profiles - Healthcare Choices AMA - Physician Sheet Health Grade - Hospital Report Cards Merck Manual of Diagnosis & Therapy Merck Manual of Medical Information National Health Law Program HealthTouch.com - Prescription Drug Information MedExplorer.com Medical Abbreviations Medical Dictionaries Medical Journals - Index of Many Specialty Journals