Farmington Hills is an idyllic suburban town that feels safe, but even in the safest of towns, accidents can still occur. Like most towns, Farmington Hills isn’t excluded from medical malpractice cases. Since 2020, 10,275 adverse actions have been reported against healthcare providers in Michigan, with the majority of these actions taken against registered nurses and physicians (MDs), including termination of licensure and certification, as well as surrender of clinical privileges.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, our medical malpractice attorneys at Giroux Pappas are ready to stand with you. Our legal team proudly serves individuals and families throughout Michigan, including Farmington Hills.
What Is Considered Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice refers to any scenario where a healthcare professional (doctor, dentist, nurse, surgeon, etc.) or an entire institution fails to meet the standard of care.
Medical malpractice scenarios could include misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis, emergency room errors, birth injuries, surgical mistakes, medication errors, failure to timely treat a condition, and more.
Proving Medical Malpractice
Farmington Hills is no different than any city in Michigan when it comes to proving medical malpractice. Four primary elements must be proven before a medical malpractice case is considered viable. These elements include:
- Duty: A professional relationship between the patient and the health care provider or entity in question;
- Breach: A breach in the standard of care during treatment. Standard care refers to the level of care and treatment that a person would typically receive from a reasonably competent and skilled healthcare provider under similar circumstances.
- Causation: The harm caused to the patient as a result of that breach in the standard of care.
- Damages: The damages or harm relating to the resulting injury.
While all four elements are challenging to prove, it can be especially difficult to prove that the breach of the standard of care was a cause of the victim’s injury or harm, and expert medical testimony is almost always required to establish this causation. This complexity is why it’s so critical to work with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.
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Hospitals & Doctors in Farmington Hills
There are nearly 400 doctors practicing in Farmington Hills and around 9 hospitals near or around the Farmington Hills area, including:
- Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital
- 28050 Grand River Avenue. Farmington Hills, MI 48336
- Trinity Health Livonia
- 36475 Five Mile Rd. Livonia, MI 48154
- Henry Ford Health West Bloomfield Hospital
- 6777 W. Maple Rd. West Bloomfield, MI 48322
- Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital
- 47601 Grand River Avenue. Novi, MI 48374
- Henry Ford Providence Southfield Hospital
- 16001 W. Nine Mile Road. Southfield, MI 48075
- Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital
- 3601 W. 13 Mile Road. Royal Oak, MI
- Trinity Health Oakland Hospital
- 44405 Woodward Ave. Pontiac, MI
- DMC Sinai Grace Hospital
- 6071 Outer Dr. W Detroit, MI
- Detroit Medical Center Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital
- 1 William Carls Dr. Commerce Township, MI
While most medical malpractice data isn’t readily available to the public, you can view a hospital’s safety grade here, and you can visit docinfo.org before you consult a healthcare provider to verify their licensure, professional background, and if any actions were taken against them by the State Medical Boards.
H2: FAQs
Medical malpractice is a complicated subject to navigate when you’re not a legal professional. Here are some of the most common questions our medical malpractice lawyers receive:
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney in Farmington Hills?
At Giroux Pappas Trial Attorneys, we work on a contingency fee basis for medical malpractice cases in Farmington Hills, which is the most common way medical malpractice attorneys are paid. With a contingency fee, you don’t pay anything upfront. Instead, your attorney only gets paid if they successfully recover compensation for you, taking an agreed-upon percentage of the settlement or jury award.
Some law firms may offer other fee arrangements, such as hourly rates, flat fees, retainers, or hybrid models, though these are less common in personal injury and medical malpractice cases.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim in Farmington Hills?
Farmington Hills follows the standard Michigan statute of limitations, which is 2 years from the date of the alleged negligent act or omission. There are some exceptions to this rule. If you weren’t and could not have been aware malpractice had been committed, a claim can be filed within 6 months after you discover or should have discovered the claim’s existence, whichever comes first. If a malpractice case involves a minor (under 8 years old), the person has until the child’s tenth birthday to file a claim. If the malpractice caused death, an estate for the deceased person can have some additional time based on when the estate was opened.
What Happens After I File a Claim?
We do not recommend filing a claim without guidance from an experienced medical malpractice attorney. All cases start with a Notice of Intent to File. This document is served to all potential defendants at least 182 days prior to the filing of the lawsuit. An Affidavit of Merit, signed by a qualified healthcare professional, must also be submitted. The defendant then has 154 days to respond (or not respond).
After the initial 182-day wait period has passed, a medical malpractice attorney can take action and initiate the lawsuit in court.
What Could I Recover?
Two primary types of damages can be recovered in a medical malpractice case: economic (medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation fees, etc.) and non-economic (pain and suffering, loss of love, society and companionship, conscious pain and suffering or any damages that don’t have a set monetary value). There is no cap (limit) for economic damages. However, as of January 2025, the cap for non-economic damages, regardless of the number of defendants involved, is $586,300. There are three exceptions to the cap that could increase the cap to $1,047,000 as detailed in MCL – Section 600.6304 and as determined by the court.