Medical Malpractice
Overview
Lightfoot delivers compassionate, tireless defense of healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation.
After years of defending dedicated and conscientious physicians, dentists, nurses and other practitioners against medical malpractice lawsuits, Lightfoot lawyers understand that this can be one of the most difficult times in a healthcare professional’s career. That is why we work to zealously protect and dutifully serve our clients to obtain the best, most expedient outcome possible. We have tried dozens of medical malpractice cases, and, while no attorney wins every case, we pride ourselves on an overwhelmingly strong success rate.
A compassionate, thoughtful approach governs all that we do. We routinely obtain early dismissals or pre-trial summary judgments for our clients. However, even when a quick resolution is not possible and we must go to court, we bring our considerable trial experience to bear in full support of our clients.
Representative Matters
- Achieving a favorable defense verdict for a neurosurgeon and his practice group in Jefferson County, AL. The case involved allegations of breaching the standard of care, where the plaintiff claimed the neurosurgeon failed to perform timely surgery in response to the development of new post-operative symptoms. The jury, after a week-long trial, unanimously returned a defense verdict in favor of the neurosurgeon on all claims.
- Defending a general surgeon and their practice, which specializes in surgical breast cancer treatment, against claims of breaching the standard of care during the plaintiff’s partial lumpectomy and sentinel node dissection. After a five-day trial, the jury unanimously ruled in favor of our client and their practice on all counts.
- Securing a judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) on behalf of a hospitalist in a wrongful death matter, successfully arguing that the patient's estate failed to present substantial evidence showing the hospitalist breached applicable standards of care in treating the patient post-surgery.
- Obtaining a defense verdict on behalf of an emergency room physician in a wrongful death suit in Colbert County, Alabama. The plaintiff, the patient’s widow, alleged that the physician failed to diagnose an aortic dissection during an emergency room visit approximately three weeks before the 30-year-old patient’s death. It was undisputed that the patient’s death was ultimately caused by an aortic dissection, but it was disputed that the dissection existed at the time of the emergency room visit. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the physician.
- Securing a defense verdict on behalf of an obstetrician/gynecologist after a 10-day trial in which plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury for $17 million in damages based on an anoxic brain injury a child suffered during his mother’s labor. Lightfoot’s client was accused of falling below the standard of care in managing the plaintiff’s labor and delivery process, resulting in her son suffering from profound cerebral palsy and mental impairment. We aggressively defended the case, proving that the doctor acted appropriately in treating the patient and complied with the standard of care in all respects. After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a defense verdict after roughly two hours of deliberations.
- Defending an Alabama doctor facing charges from the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners that he endangered a patient’s health leading to her death and falsified medical records related to that care. The defendant doctor strenuously denied the charges. We retained highly regarded surgical experts on the doctor’s behalf who supported both the care and documentation in question. Following a multiple-day contested administrative hearing, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission dismissed all of the board’s charges against Lightfoot’s client, finding no wrongdoing on the doctor’s behalf.
- Representing the defense in a dental malpractice case. The plaintiff alleged that a needle used in the mouth of her special-needs son during a dental procedure was the wrong size, which allowed it to break off and embed in his jaw when he unexpectedly jerked forward during the procedure. The needle was surgically removed many months later. The plaintiff claimed that she was owed damages for her son’s medical expenses, disfigurement, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. The jury took about an hour to deliberate and promptly returned a verdict in favor of our client.
- Handling a medical malpractice case on behalf of an emergency room physician. The plaintiff alleged that the ER doctor failed to diagnose and treat the patient’s esophageal perforation in a timely manner. The patient died as a result of the perforated esophagus. At the conclusion of a two-week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of our client after less than one hour of deliberations.
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Overview 
Lightfoot delivers compassionate, tireless defense of healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation.
After years of defending dedicated and conscientious physicians, dentists, nurses and other practitioners against medical malpractice lawsuits, Lightfoot lawyers understand that this can be one of the most difficult times in a healthcare professional’s career. That is why we work to zealously protect and dutifully serve our clients to obtain the best, most expedient outcome possible. We have tried dozens of medical malpractice cases, and, while no attorney wins every case, we pride ourselves on an overwhelmingly strong success rate.
A compassionate, thoughtful approach governs all that we do. We routinely obtain early dismissals or pre-trial summary judgments for our clients. However, even when a quick resolution is not possible and we must go to court, we bring our considerable trial experience to bear in full support of our clients.
Experience
Representative Matters
Achieving a favorable defense verdict for a neurosurgeon and his practice group in Jefferson County, AL. The case involved allegations of breaching the standard of care, where the plaintiff claimed the neurosurgeon failed to perform timely surgery in response to the development of new post-operative symptoms. The jury, after a week-long trial, unanimously returned a defense verdict in favor of the neurosurgeon on all claims.
Defending a general surgeon and their practice, which specializes in surgical breast cancer treatment, against claims of breaching the standard of care during the plaintiff’s partial lumpectomy and sentinel node dissection. After a five-day trial, the jury unanimously ruled in favor of our client and their practice on all counts.
Securing a judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) on behalf of a hospitalist in a wrongful death matter, successfully arguing that the patient's estate failed to present substantial evidence showing the hospitalist breached applicable standards of care in treating the patient post-surgery.
Obtaining a defense verdict on behalf of an emergency room physician in a wrongful death suit in Colbert County, Alabama. The plaintiff, the patient’s widow, alleged that the physician failed to diagnose an aortic dissection during an emergency room visit approximately three weeks before the 30-year-old patient’s death. It was undisputed that the patient’s death was ultimately caused by an aortic dissection, but it was disputed that the dissection existed at the time of the emergency room visit. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the physician.
Securing a defense verdict on behalf of an obstetrician/gynecologist after a 10-day trial in which plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury for $17 million in damages based on an anoxic brain injury a child suffered during his mother’s labor. Lightfoot’s client was accused of falling below the standard of care in managing the plaintiff’s labor and delivery process, resulting in her son suffering from profound cerebral palsy and mental impairment. We aggressively defended the case, proving that the doctor acted appropriately in treating the patient and complied with the standard of care in all respects. After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a defense verdict after roughly two hours of deliberations.
Defending an Alabama doctor facing charges from the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners that he endangered a patient’s health leading to her death and falsified medical records related to that care. The defendant doctor strenuously denied the charges. We retained highly regarded surgical experts on the doctor’s behalf who supported both the care and documentation in question. Following a multiple-day contested administrative hearing, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission dismissed all of the board’s charges against Lightfoot’s client, finding no wrongdoing on the doctor’s behalf.
Representing the defense in a dental malpractice case. The plaintiff alleged that a needle used in the mouth of her special-needs son during a dental procedure was the wrong size, which allowed it to break off and embed in his jaw when he unexpectedly jerked forward during the procedure. The needle was surgically removed many months later. The plaintiff claimed that she was owed damages for her son’s medical expenses, disfigurement, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. The jury took about an hour to deliberate and promptly returned a verdict in favor of our client.
Handling a medical malpractice case on behalf of an emergency room physician. The plaintiff alleged that the ER doctor failed to diagnose and treat the patient’s esophageal perforation in a timely manner. The patient died as a result of the perforated esophagus. At the conclusion of a two-week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of our client after less than one hour of deliberations.
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