Texas Medical Standard of Care

The Texas medical standard of care is a critical factor in determining liability in medical malpractice cases. It requires a doctor and other health care professionals to provide the same treatment that physicians with the same or similar training would under the same circumstances. With a medical malpractice case, the injured patient must prove that the provider deviated from the applicable standard of care established in Texas, resulting in the harm caused by sub-standard care. Because proving negligence requires extensive legal knowledge, working with a medical malpractice lawyer in San Antonio is essential. Whether you need to understand how to sue a Texas hospital or pursue legal claims for medical negligence, we can help.

Call 210-366-4949 for a free consultation.

Medical Malpractice Standard of Care in Texas

The professional standard of care in Texas applies broadly to various industries, requiring individuals to act as reasonably competent specialist in their field. However, the applicable medical standard of care in Texas specifically governs healthcare providers and determines whether a health care professional provides proper treatment to a patient. Unlike the general public, physicians and other medical professionals must follow customary practices accepted within the medical community.

In legal cases, proving that a provider is considered negligent requires demonstrating that they deviated from what a reasonably competent specialist would do under similar circumstances. Since the Texas medical standard of care applies to highly technical medical term examples and procedures, expert witnesses are often needed in most cases to establish whether a healthcare provider’s practice met the required level of care.

Texas Standard of Care Definition Medical

The Texas medical standard of care definition is a legal term that establishes the level of care medical professionals must provide in medical malpractice cases. Under Texas law, health care professionals are held to a higher standard of care than a reasonable person, meaning they must act as a competent physician in the same or similar community under the same or similar circumstances. A provider is considered negligent if they fail to meet this medical standard of care in Texas, leading to harm to a patient. Proving negligence in these cases requires showing that the provider did not act as a similarly trained professional in the same or similar community and under the same or similar circumstances. Because negligence is central to legal claims, victims must demonstrate that a provider’s actions deviated from the legal definition of proper care, making them liable for damages.

What is the Standard of Care in Medical Malpractice Cases in Texas?

Even the best team of lawyers can’t establish what’s considered a poor medical standard of care. That’s because they’re lawyers, not doctors. That’s where medical expert witnesses come in.

During a medical malpractice lawsuit, our lawyers provide expert testimony from someone in the same field as the doctor who committed the alleged malpractice. So if a chiropractor made a mistake during spinal manipulation – which resulted in the patient harm – then, we’d hire a chiropractor as the expert witness. The chiropractor must do the following during their testimony:

• Explain what the applicable medical standard of care was in the same circumstances.
• Explain how the chiropractor failed to provide the appropriate standard of care.
• Explain how the appropriate standard of care applies to the patient’s harm.

If you’ve been harmed by a chiropractor’s failure to uphold the Texas medical standard of care, contact a San Antonio chiropractor malpractice attorney for a free consultation.

How to Sue a Doctor in Texas

The average doctor is not perfect and will make mistakes. What matters in a medical malpractice claim is if the doctor provided sub-standard care to their patient AND the patient suffered harm as a result.

It’s important to note that all medical treatments carry some degree of risk to every patient. The average provider can give their patient competent, reasonable care, and that patient could still suffer from one of the side effects. This is not considered negligence. The only way this could be considered negligence is if the doctor failed to provide informed consent to the patient about the major risks and side effects of a surgery, medication, or other treatment.

Can You Sue a Doctor for Misdiagnosis in Texas?

Yes, you can sue a doctor for misdiagnosis in Texas if their failure to diagnose or properly treat a condition falls below the reasonable care established for doctors and physicians.

In a medical malpractice case, our San Antonio misdiagnosis lawyer team must prove that the medical malpractice plaintiff (patient) didn’t receive the reasonable care the average doctor with similar training would provide under similar circumstances. The care refers to the customary practices followed by other health care professionals in the same field and whether the average provider would have made a proper diagnosis. Since misdiagnosis is a complex medical term, proving negligence often requires medical experts to prove that the doctor’s actions deviated from accepted customary practices and reasonable person standards in the medical community.

Texas Standard of Care in Medicine

Yes, you can sue a doctor or pharmacist for medication errors in Texas if their negligence caused harm. A San Antonio medicine injury lawyer can help file a medical malpractice claim if physicians or pharmacists fail to exercise reasonable care in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication. In medical malpractice cases, the Texas medical standard of care requires doctors and pharmacists to act as a reasonable person in the same or similar community and under the same or similar circumstances. If a medical malpractice plaintiff can prove that the provider’s actions deviated from what a competent professional would have done in a medical malpractice case, they may be entitled to compensation.

Texas Medical Standard of Care for Labor and Delivery

Yes, you can sue for birth injuries in Texas if health care professionals fail to provide reasonable care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Under the Texas medical standard of care, doctors and nurses must follow accepted treatment protocols that a reasonable person with similar training would provide in the same circumstances. Because medical providers are held to a higher standard than the general public, their failure to act according to the standard of care definitions may be considered negligent. If a child suffers harm due to alleged malpractice, families may pursue birth injury claims in San Antonio to seek compensation for medical expenses, long-term care, and pain and suffering. Proving negligence requires showing that the provider’s practice deviated from accepted medical guidelines, leading to preventable harm.

Texas Nursing Home Standard of Care

The Texas nursing home standard of care requires health care professionals in nursing homes to provide the same treatment that a reasonable person in their position would under customary practices. If a facility’s failure to meet this legal definition of proper care results in harm to a resident, it may lead to a medical malpractice case. Families seeking justice for neglect or abuse can work with a nursing home abuse lawyer in San Antonio.

How Long Do You Have to Sue a Doctor After Surgery in Texas?

Texas sets a time limit, or statute of limitations, on how long you can pursue legal liability for negligence. Patients have two years from the day of the sub-standard care or discovery of harm to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. If they fail to file their medical malpractice claim within two years, then their medical malpractice case will be dismissed.

It’s critical to contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer quickly. Contact a San Antonio surgical error lawyer at Janicek Law for a free consultation.

Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer in San Antonio

If you or a loved one has suffered major illness, injury, or death due to an incompetent health care professional, they deserve legal liability. The legal team at Janicek Law has decades of combined experience handling medical malpractice cases in Texas. Call 210-366-4949 to schedule a free consultation.