Medical law

Medical malpractice lawyer:

The medical world is a very complex one, and medical errors are legion.

When someone falls victim to medical treatment gone wrong, the consequences are often incalculable.

As medical malpractice attorneys, we receive daily questions from clients about the options available to be compensated for the damages suffered in such a case.

So the question is: What can YOU do as a victim?

Two possible procedures:

As a victim, You can choose to sue the Medical Accident Fund or sue the Court.

The Medical Accident Fund:

The Medical Accident Fund is a government-created body whose mission is to independently assist victims of medical errors or medical accidents.

If You believe You have been a victim of medical malpractice or a medical accident, You can open a case with the Medical Accident Fund through your medical malpractice attorney at no charge.

The Fund will judge whether the file is admissible after receiving a fully completed application form accompanied by the necessary documents.

To the extent that this is the case, the Fund will appoint its own expert.

This expert will initially have to judge whether medical malpractice has occurred.

To the extent that this is the case, the expert will also estimate the physical consequences and You will be able to claim compensation.

The calculation of compensation is a particularly complex matter so it is definitely not an unnecessary luxury to be assisted by a specialized medical law attorney.

However, the Fund may also consider that, strictly speaking, there is no medical malpractice but rather a medical accident.

A medical accident occurs when a complication occurs that is rare and has serious consequences.

In that case, it is called a medical accident without liability (MOZA).

There is a medical accident without liability when there is abnormal and serious injury resulting from a complication.

Serious harm occurs when one of the following criteria is met:

• A permanent disability of 25% or more.
• A temporary disability for six consecutive months or six nonconsecutive months over a 12-month period.
• Particularly severe damage, even economically, to the patient’s living conditions.
• The death of the patient.

Whether there was medical malpractice or a medical accident has no bearing on compensation.

In other words, YOU as the victim will always be compensated.

Court proceedings:

In addition to proceedings before the Medical Accident Fund, You as a victim can always choose to initiate proceedings in court.

In that case, however, YOU will have to prove the existence of medical malpractice.

A medical accident is not enough.

This heavy burden of proof is often a major obstacle to litigation in court.

As a victim, you will have to convince the court that there are sufficient suspicions that the medical provider did not act properly.

In that case, the court may be asked to appoint an expert.

This expert will then have to judge whether there has been medical malpractice on the one hand and in the affirmative case what the consequences are for the victim.

For such proceedings, the assistance of an attorney medical malpractice is obviously an absolute necessity.

FMO or Court: Which should I choose?
Your medical malpractice attorney will help you make the right choice!

Choosing between the two possible paths is often difficult.

After all, every procedure has advantages and disadvantages.

Therefore, it is appropriate to hire a medical malpractice attorney.

The main advantage of the Medical Accident Fund procedure is that it is free of charge.

After all, the Medical Accident Fund itself will cover the costs of the expert it appoints.

The downside, however, is the lead time.

Medical Accident Fund proceedings easily take three years!

Proceedings in court are often faster.

The disadvantage, however, is that the burden of proof is on the victim at that point.

In other words, the victim will have to make a plausible case of medical malpractice to convince the court to appoint an expert.

It is then also the victim who will have to advance the costs of the court expert.

It is only when the court finds that medical malpractice was committed that the health care provider or its insurer will have to reimburse the expert’s fees.

Given this financial disadvantage, it is often advisable to litigate in court only if You can claim legal aid insurance.

Contact us without obligation for an appointment.

Peterfreund & Associates: your law firm in Antwerp.

Als advocaat medisch recht hebben wij in vorige blogberichten reeds de procedures overlopen die U als patiënt  kunt voeren indien U slachtoffer bent geweest van een medische fout.

Hierbij dient het onderscheid gemaakt te worden tussen een klassieke procedure voor de rechtbank enerzijds en een procedure voor het Fonds voor Medische Ongevallen.

MOZA: Wat is dat?

Indien er geen sprake is van een medische fout, kunt U als slachtoffer zich niet tot de rechtbank wenden.

Is alle hoop dat verloren?

Niets is minder waar.

Immers voorziet de wet dat het Fonds voor Medische Ongevallen bevoegd is om in gevallen waarbij strikt genomen geen medische fout begaan werd, tot vergoeding over te gaan.

Dit betreft het geval van een medisch ongeval zonder aansprakelijkheid ofwel kortweg MOZA.

 

TOEPASSINGSVOORWAARDEN:

Om een vergoeding te krijgen van het FONDS wanneer is er sprake is van een medisch ongeval zonder aansprakelijkheid moet de schade een abnormaal en ernstig karakter hebben.

ERNSTIGE SCHADE:

De schade wordt als ernstig beschouwd in volgende gevallen:

• Een blijvende invaliditeit van 25% of meer.
• Een tijdelijke arbeidsongeschiktheid van 6 maanden.
• Bijzonder zware schade voor de levensomstandigheden van de patiënt.
• Overlijden van de patiënt.

ABNORMALE SCHADE:

Het volstaat echter niet dat de schade ernstig is om een vergoeding te krijgen van het FONDS.

Immers moet de schade ook abnormaal zijn.

Wat bedoelt men hiermee?

De schade is abnormaal wanneer de complicatie in kwestie gelet op de stand van de wetenschap maar zelden voorkomt.

M.a.w. indien U als patiënt U absoluut niet moest verwachten aan een dergelijke complicatie.

Het abnormaal karakter van de schade is geen exacte wetenschap.

Immers is het zo dat de wet een bepaald percentage preconiseert.

De wet had vb. kunnen verduidelijken dat een bepaalde complicatie abnormaal is wanneer deze zich voordoet in minder dan 1% van de gevallen.

De wetgever heeft hier echter niet voor gekozen.

Dit betekent dan ook dat het Fonds voor Medische Ongevallen zelfs zal kunnen bepalen of de schade een abnormaal karakter heeft of niet.

Het is dan ook zeer belangrijk dat U zich bij de procedure voor het Fonds voor Medische Ongevallen laat bijstaan door een gespecialiseerde raadsdokter en een advocaat Medisch Recht.

Heeft U vragen over Medisch Recht?

Contacteer ons. We zullen u met raad en daad bijstaan.

As specialized medical law attorneys, we very regularly handle cases for the Medical Accident Fund.

In a previous blog, we already explained the difference between medical malpractice and a medical accident without liability.

In either case, YOU as the victim will receive compensation from the Medical Accident Fund.

In the current article, we will elaborate on the term medical accident without liability.

Legal framework:

The Medical Accident Fund (FMO) was created by the March 31, 2010 law on compensation for damages due to health care.

This law was published on April 2, 2010.

In accordance with Article 4 the law, the Fund compensates the victim or his beneficiaries in accordance with common law:

1. When the damage was caused by a medical accident without liability.
2. When the Fund finds that the injury was caused by a fact that gives rise to the liability of the health care provider whose liability is not covered or not adequately covered.
3. When the Fund finds that the injury was caused by the event giving rise to the health care provider’s liability and when the provider or its insurer disputes the liability.
4. When the insurer covering the liability of the health care provider who caused the injury makes an offer of compensation that the Fund finds manifestly inadequate.

Conditions of application of a medical accident without liability: When does one speak of a medical accident without liability?

The conditions of application are contained in Article 5 of the law and are as follows:

• The patient is affected by permanent disability of 25% or more;
• The patient has been affected by temporary disability for at least 6 consecutive years or 6 nonconsecutive months over a 12-month period;
• The damage particularly severely disrupts, including economically, the patient’s living conditions;
• The patient died.

As is clear from the article, these are not cumulative conditions.

It is sufficient that one of these conditions is met to speak of a medical accident without liability for which the Fund will intervene.

Expertise:

The Fund decides independently whether it considers that a medical accident has occurred without liability.

When the Fund receives an application, the Fund will appoint an expert.

Unlike before, the appointed expert will not be able to rule on whether or not there was a medical accident without liability.

All that the appointed expert may do is to inform the Fund of the circumstances of the claim and, if necessary, to describe the severity of the claim in such a way that the Fund can deduce that the conditions of Article 5 of the Law have been met.

Importance of assistance by an attorney medical law:

Given the technical nature of the discussion of whether or not a claim can be considered a medical accident without liability, it is best to seek the assistance of a medical law attorney.

With our more than 20 years of experience in such matters, we are uniquely placed to advise and assist you in these matters.

Do you have questions about medical law?

Contact Peterfreund & Associates, your attorney in Antwerp.