MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY IN OWENSBORO

Medical malpractice happens when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care and causes harm as a result. That can include a misdiagnosis that delays critical treatment, a surgical mistake that worsens your condition, a medication error that triggers complications, or a failure to monitor symptoms that any reasonably careful provider would have recognized.

Some mistakes are obvious. Others happen quietly, with patients noticing that symptoms worsen, treatments don’t make sense, or something simply feels off. Because malpractice cases often involve gray areas, speaking with a lawyer early helps determine whether the provider’s conduct crossed the legal line into negligence.

Patients often come to us because something about their care felt wrong. Red flags can include:

• A delayed diagnosis when symptoms were clearly present
• Treatment that contradicts typical standards or ignores test results
• A sudden injury or complication with no clear explanation
• Being discharged too early or without the necessary follow-up
• Medication mix-ups, incorrect dosages, or overlooked allergies
• A surgery that leads to new or worse symptoms

If any of these sound familiar, it may indicate a failure to meet professional standards, and further investigation is essential.

Kentucky law requires malpractice claims to be filed within a relatively short window. Because cases take time to investigate- reviewing records, consulting experts, gathering evidence, waiting too long can jeopardize your ability to move forward. Acting quickly allows your attorney to preserve records, timelines, and witness testimony before they fade or become unavailable.

If you believe something went wrong with your medical care, you can protect yourself by:

• Requesting complete copies of your medical records
• Documenting symptoms, complications, or unexpected results
• Getting a second medical opinion as soon as possible
• Saving medication bottles, discharge papers, and written instructions
• Avoiding direct contact with the provider about the mistake

A lawyer can step in to secure additional documentation and ensure nothing gets altered or lost.

Yes. In many cases, more than one party may be responsible. A negligent surgeon may work under a hospital’s supervision. A nurse may make a charting error that results in a dangerously high dose of medication. A radiologist might overlook findings that a primary care provider later relied upon.

Your lawyer identifies every responsible party: individual providers, medical groups, and hospitals, to maximize available compensation.

Surgical mistakes range from leaving foreign objects inside patients to operating on the wrong body part or performing a procedure without adequate planning. Even “routine” surgeries can become life-threatening when safety protocols fail. These errors often require additional procedures, extended recovery times, or permanent lifestyle changes.

Because surgical teams involve multiple people, determining liability requires a thorough examination of every step taken in the operating room.

Medication mistakes happen more often than many patients realize; incorrect dosages, dangerous drug interactions, mislabeled medications, and failures to confirm allergies. A single error can trigger seizures, organ damage, internal bleeding, or other severe complications. These cases often require a detailed medical review to understand exactly where the breakdown occurred and who was responsible for the mistake. Hospitals have strict protocols to prevent these events, and when those protocols fail, a malpractice claim may be justified.

Birth injuries are among the most devastating forms of malpractice. Oxygen deprivation, improper use of delivery tools, delayed C-sections, and fetal monitoring failures can leave a child with lifelong medical needs. Parents may be entitled to compensation for medical care, future therapies, mobility equipment, in-home assistance, and long-term support that a child may require throughout life. These cases often involve reviewing every minute of labor and delivery to understand whether warning signs were missed or whether the medical team failed to act quickly enough.

Because the stakes are so high, birth injury cases require specialized expert review and careful handling from start to finish. A medical expert must evaluate fetal monitoring strips, delivery decisions, and neonatal care to determine whether the provider deviated from accepted standards. An attorney can guide families through this complex process and help them pursue the resources their child will need for years to come.

Not all malpractice is caused by a single doctor. Hospitals may be liable for:

• Understaffing
• Failure to train or supervise employees
• Communication breakdowns between departments
• Unsafe policies or systemic errors

Understanding whether the negligence came from an individual provider, the hospital’s processes, or both is key to building a strong claim.

Patients must be told about the risks, alternatives, and potential complications of a procedure before agreeing to it. When doctors skip this step or downplay risks, patients lose the ability to make informed decisions. If the hidden risk results in harm, you may have grounds for a malpractice case even if the procedure itself was performed correctly.

Yes. Medical experts play a crucial role in explaining how the provider’s care fell below accepted standards. They review records, identify errors, and testify about the harm caused. Morgan & Morgan works with highly respected specialists across Kentucky and nationally to strengthen our clients’ cases.

Absolutely. Delayed diagnosis is one of the most common forms of malpractice. When a provider overlooks symptoms, misreads test results, or fails to follow up, the patient may lose valuable time in treatment. This delay can allow conditions to worsen, sometimes irreversibly.

If an earlier diagnosis could have changed the outcome, you may have a case.

Medical negligence cases are some of the most complex lawsuits filed in Kentucky. Your attorney may:

• Analyze thousands of pages of medical records
• Consult with medical experts to understand every decision made
• Identify errors, omissions, and deviations from accepted standards
• Investigate hospital staffing, protocols, and internal policies
• Challenge misleading documentation or retroactive changes
• Handle communication with insurers and hospital legal teams

This level of investigation is crucial for proving negligence and showing how the error impacted your life.

Compensation varies depending on the severity of the injury, but often includes:

• Medical bills (past and future)
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Additional surgeries or corrective treatments
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Long-term care needs
• Wrongful death damages for fatal cases

Non-economic damages, such as emotional suffering, can be significant in malpractice claims because the effects often last a lifetime.

There is no universal answer. The value depends on factors like the severity of the injury, permanent disabilities, future care needs, financial impact, and the degree of negligence involved. Catastrophic injuries and lifelong medical needs often result in higher case values. Your attorney will gather expert evaluations and documentation to determine the full extent of recoverable damages.

Many claims settle out of court after a thorough investigation and negotiation. However, some hospitals and insurers refuse to offer fair compensation. In those situations, Morgan & Morgan prepares for trial and is fully ready to present your case before a jury. Our litigation team has secured verdicts far higher than many pre-trial offers, which is why insurance companies take these cases seriously.

Medical malpractice doesn’t just affect your physical health; it can cause fear, anxiety, trauma, depression, or a deep sense of betrayal. Kentucky allows victims to recover compensation for these emotional injuries, especially when supported by medical documentation or mental health records. These damages often play a major role in the total case value.

If a healthcare provider in Owensboro failed to meet the standard of care and you suffered as a result, you don’t have to navigate the aftermath on your own. Start with a free case review. You may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, lost income, long-term care, and the pain and disruption the negligence caused.

With Morgan & Morgan, The Fee Is Free®—you pay nothing unless we win.