Practice Areas

• Car & Motorcycle Accidents
• Crashes Caused by Trucks
• Medical Malpractice/ Doctor Mistakes
• Railroad Injury/ FELA
• Brain Damage/ Head Injuries
• Wrongful Death
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• Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
• Dangerous Drugs/ Product Recalls
• All Serious Injuries

HSInjury Blog

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

• Malpractice Reform Would Save Little Money, Harm Patients Already Injured
• Surgical Mistake Reportedly Led to Rep. Murtha’s Death
• Prescription Drug Dispensing Error Costs Rite Aid $2.5 Million

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Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer

• Wheelchair-Bound Suffolk Woman Hit, Killed While Crossing Street

Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

• Johnson & Johnson Internal Documents Reveal Unsavory and Potentially Illegal Marketing of Risperdal

Northeast NC Personal Injury Lawyer

• Are You a Victim of a Slip, Trip and Fall Accident?

Firm News

• New Hospital Plans to Decrease Number of Beds, Will Quality Improve?
  Posted on 3/6/2010
• Use of "safe-surgery checklist" could reduce medical mistakes
  Posted on 2/4/2010
• Virginia (VA) Jury Awards $7.5 Million in Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer Case
  Posted on 6/5/2009
• West Virginia Family Files Medical Malpractice Suit For Woman’s High Blood Pressure Death
  Posted on 4/17/2009
• Virginia Pilot Demands That Dangerous Doctors Be Disciplined
  Posted on 4/1/2009

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Library

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

• Here are some results from our medical malpractice and medical negligence cases. After you've reviewed them, give our firm a call at 1-800-752-0042.
• Medical Mistake in Rehabilitation Center Causes Death in Elderly Woman
• Why You Shouldn't Waive The Meningococcal Vaccine

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WHY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES REQUIRE EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS

On the page below you can find links to videos provided by Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton, P.C..

If you or someone you know thinks you may have a valid claim that you were improperly injured by a physician, nurse, nursing home or hospital, the first step in evaluating that claim is to choose an attorney.  

A quick look at any regional yellow pages, or even a quick look at an internet search, quickly demonstrates that many attorneys claim to be competent and qualified to handle medical negligence cases.  However, this is not an accurate reflection of reality.  

In reality, only a very small number of attorneys are experienced and qualified to handle what can sometimes be extremely complex and difficult issues surrounding potential medical negligence claims.  For this reason, it is very important that when you sit down to talk to an attorney who claims that he or she is qualified to handle medical malpractice cases, that you ask certain very important questions.
 
First, I would ask the attorney how many of these types of cases he or she has handled in his or her career and what the results were.  Lots of attorneys advertise that they handle malpractice cases, but simply get you in the door and quickly refer you to someone else in the community that they know is competent to handles these cases. 

For this reason, the next question I would ask is whether he or she intends to handle the matter personally or whether you will be referred to another law firm.  If you are going to be referred to another law firm, you should tell that attorney “thank you very much” and seek out the services of an attorney who can prove to you that he or she is experienced and qualified in handling these types of cases. 
 
Here at Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton, we try medical negligence cases on a relatively frequent basis.  In fact, in the calendar year 2007, this law firm participated in a medical negligence case that resulted in the 16th highest jury verdict returned in any courtroom in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  If you want experienced, qualified and competent attorneys to help you with your medical malpractice case, you have come to the right law firm.


 

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Case Results

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

• Retained Surgical Sponge and Subsequent Complications

Awarded: $425,000.00 Settlement

• Failed Back Surgery

Awarded: The case was settled before the trial for 1.25 million dollars.

• Failure to Diagnose/ER Doctor/vascular incident (aortic aneurysim)

Awarded: $700,000.00

• Gastric Bypass (stomach stapling) Surgery complications

Awarded: $550,000.00 settlement during mediation.

• Gallbladder Surgery Error

Awarded: $425,000

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FAQs

Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

• A family member died in a nursing home, and after talking with members of the staff, it sounds like they died due to nursing home neglect. Should I get a lawyer?
  
  
• I have a feeling something is wrong at my family member's nursing home. What should I do if I suspect nursing home abuse or neglect?
  
  
• A family member died in a nursing home, and after talking with members of the staff, it sounds like they died due to nursing home neglect. Should I get a lawyer?
  
  

• What is the Virginia (VA) statute of limitations for personal injury in a medical malpractice case?

• What is the Virginia Medical Malpractice Cap and What Does It Mean to a Patient Injured by a Medical Mistake?

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InjuryBoard Resources

• Our Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
• Our Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
• Nationwide Personal Injury Lawyer Blog Network
• All About Tort Reform
• Our Northeast North Carolina (NC) Personal Injury Lawyer Blog