While all of our senses are crucial, eyesight is arguably the most essential. You trust your Jacksonville, Florida optometrist to safeguard your vision throughout your life. However, if your doctor made an error that jeopardized your eyesight, Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal options.
Medical malpractice can have a lasting effect on patients. While financial compensation cannot restore your vision, our Jacksonville optometrist malpractice attorneys recognize that obtaining proper care can be expensive.
Contact our law firm today for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your injury. We’ll thoroughly investigate your case, and if we determine that your optometrist was negligent, we’ll work to secure fair compensation for you. Call us at (904) 396-1100 today.
How Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With an Optometrist Malpractice Claim in Jacksonville, FL
Optometrists undergo rigorous education and training to diagnose and treat eye and vision issues. However, when they make errors, the consequences can be severe.
Our Jacksonville medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to representing patients harmed by their doctors’ negligence. With over 100 years of combined experience, we’ve successfully secured millions in compensation for injury victims.
Our practice frequently handles complex medical malpractice claims, such as those involving:
- Anesthesia errors
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to diagnose illnesses and conditions
- Surgical malpractice
Errors made by an optometrist can be particularly devastating, as they can rob you of one of your most vital senses. Additionally, the financial burden of obtaining treatment to address the harm can be overwhelming.
Securing fair compensation for optometrist malpractice in Jacksonville, FL, is no easy task. You need an advocate who will tackle these complicated cases and fight for your rights.
Contact Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys are ready to help you.
What Are Common Examples of Optometrist Malpractice?
Florida law holds optometrists to strict standards of care, requiring them to provide the same level of skill and attention that a reasonably competent medical professional would in a similar situation.
Despite their training, optometrists can still make errors due to negligence.
An optometrist may be liable for malpractice in cases involving any of the following scenarios.
Failure to Diagnose
The most frequent claim against optometrists involves not properly diagnosing a condition, including misdiagnosis or a complete failure to diagnose. Many other malpractice claims stem from this issue.
Failure to Dilate the Pupil or Warn of Side Effects
A significant number of malpractice claims involve the failure to dilate the pupil during an eye exam. Optometrists who skip pupil dilation risk missing critical issues, leading to a misdiagnosis. Additionally, in rare cases, patients may be involved in slip and fall accidents after dilation. This could lead to claims if patients aren’t warned about the side effects or provided protective eyewear like mydriatic sunglasses.
Improper Patient Termination or Referral
Malpractice claims can arise when delayed treatment leads to poor outcomes. An optometrist remains responsible for a patient’s care until treatment is completed or the patient is properly referred to another provider.
Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
Claims often center on whether the optometrist obtained informed consent before conducting tests, procedures, or treatments. Like all medical professionals, optometrists must document informed consent to avoid liability.
Poor Recordkeeping
Many claims cite inadequate documentation. Poor recordkeeping can lead to missed diagnoses, failed referrals, incomplete follow-ups, and failure to record informed consent, all of which can weaken a defense against malpractice claims. Fortunately, these issues can be avoided with proper recordkeeping practices.
Your vision is critical to your daily life, and mistakes in eye care can lead to long-lasting or permanent physical and emotional suffering for you and your loved ones.
Adapting to vision loss or blindness can take years. Contact our Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyers, and we’ll immediately start investigating your injuries, identifying who is responsible, and pursuing justice for the harm caused to you.
What Forms of Compensation Can I Get in a Jacksonville Optometrist Malpractice Claim?
Vision damage caused by your optometrist’s malpractice can take a heavy physical and emotional toll. Florida law allows you to recover compensation for all types of injuries.
First, you are entitled to claim economic damages. These damages address the actual financial losses you’ve incurred due to your optometrist’s negligence, including past and ongoing medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and any other costs linked to the malpractice.
You can also seek non-economic damages, which compensate for intangible losses. These include compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other psychological impacts you’ve experienced.
Accurately assessing your damages to ensure full compensation requires the skill of experienced Jacksonville personal injury attorneys, such as those at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers. Contact us today to learn how we can support you during this challenging time.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Jacksonville Optometrist Malpractice Attorney Today
Negligence by your Jacksonville optometrist can lead to injuries that require extensive medical treatment and leave you unable to work. To ensure you recover the full compensation you’re entitled to, you need a dedicated and aggressive advocate on your side.
While you focus on healing, let Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers handle the pursuit of the financial recovery you need. We will thoroughly investigate what happened and identify those responsible.
Reach out to our Jacksonville optometrist malpractice lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll treat you with respect, answer your questions clearly, and provide compassionate support throughout the process.
