You went in for help and left with more pain, trauma, or permanent damage. That’s what happens when trusted medical professionals violate the standard of care. At Souder Law, we hold negligent doctors, nurses, and hospitals fully accountable. We know the stakes are high, and we don’t back down. Our aggressive team is here to fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. If you’ve been harmed by medical malpractice, we’re ready to stand with you.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice is alarmingly common. According to recent data, Florida sees over 3,500 medical malpractice claims closed each year, nearly 10 per day. Nationally, medical errors are one of the leading causes of preventable death, responsible for tens of thousands of fatalities and countless injuries each year.
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or hospital, fails to provide treatment that meets the standard of care, resulting in harm to the patient. This can involve surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, medication mistakes, birth injuries, or failure to act in a timely manner. This is a breach of duty that causes real, often life-altering damage. And under Florida law, you have the right to fight back.
Types of medical malpractice injury cases we handle
Childbirth injuries
Birth injuries can change the course of a child’s life forever. Whether due to delayed delivery, improper fetal monitoring, or misuse of forceps or vacuum tools, these medical errors demand answers. We handle childbirth injury cases with compassion and resolve, holding providers accountable for injuries to both mothers and newborns.
Common causes of medical malpractice claims:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis leading to incorrect or missed treatment
- Surgical errors, including wrong-site surgery or leaving instruments inside the body
- Medication errors, such as incorrect dosage or administering the wrong drug
- Anesthesia mistakes causing brain damage, injury, or death
- Failure to monitor a patient’s condition during or after a procedure
- Birth injuries due to negligent prenatal care or delivery mistakes
- Failure to obtain informed consent before treatment or surgery
- Hospital-acquired infections resulting from unsanitary conditions
- Ignoring or misreading lab results, scans, or medical charts
- Premature discharge or failure to provide proper follow-up care
How we handle your
medical malpractice claim
At Souder Law, we start by conducting a comprehensive investigation into what went wrong. We gather and review your full medical records, consult independent medical experts, and identify exactly how your provider deviated from the standard of care. We build a strong, evidence-backed case that clearly demonstrates the negligence and the harm it caused you.
From there, we aggressively negotiate with hospitals, insurance companies, and defense attorneys who try to deny or minimize your suffering. If they won’t offer a fair settlement, we’re fully prepared to take your case to trial. We manage everything, including filing pre-suit notices, securing expert witnesses, calculating damages, and representing you, so you can focus on healing while we fight to hold negligent providers accountable.
Damages available in medical malpractice
In any medical malpractice case, it’s critical to identify every party responsible for your harm, whether it’s the doctor, the hospital, a surgical team, or a pharmacy. Liability may be shared across multiple providers, and uncovering those connections is essential to securing the full compensation you’re entitled to under Florida law. At Souder Law, we dig deep to expose all negligent actors and ensure no one escapes accountability.
Depending on your case, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disability or disfigurement
- Wrongful death damages (if applicable)
- Loss of consortium (for spouses or family members)
- Punitive damages (in cases of gross negligence)
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Florida?
Florida generally gives you two years from the date you knew or should have known that malpractice occurred. However, the absolute deadline is four years from the actual date of the incident, regardless of when you discovered it. There are exceptions: if the case involves fraud or concealment, the deadline can extend to seven years, and minors under age 8 may be entitled to additional time. Missing the deadline will bar you from recovering compensation.
Steps to take immediately after medical malpractice:
- Seek immediate medical attention from a different provider to prevent further harm
- Request and preserve all medical records related to your treatment and injuries
- Document your symptoms and any changes in your condition in detail
- Take photographs of any visible injuries or complications
- Avoid signing anything from the hospital or insurance company without legal advice
- Write down the names and dates of everyone involved in your care
- Consult a qualified medical malpractice attorney at Souder Law as soon as possible
- Preserve all bills, prescriptions, and discharge summaries
- Avoid discussing your case on social media or with non-legal professionals
- Act quickly: Florida has strict deadlines for filing a claim
Find out what your case is worth (at no cost)
Souder Law is a relentless, client-focused firm based in Jupiter and serving all of Palm Beach County, South Florida, and the Treasure Coast. If you’ve been harmed by medical malpractice, we’ll investigate your case, determine compensation, and fight aggressively for every dollar you deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win. It costs you absolutely nothing to take the first step. Contact us today for a free case review.
