People place enormous trust in doctors and medical providers when they visit hospitals and medical facilities. No one expects to be injured by a healthcare provider, so when it happens, victims are often confused about their options.
As your Columbus medical malpractice lawyers, Chester Law Group has decades of experience representing victims of medical negligence. We navigate these complex claims while fighting for fair compensation for victims of devastating medical mistakes in Ohio.
Why Choose Chester Law Group as Your Ohio Medical Malpractice Law Firm
- We front all costs for medical experts and record collection, which can be in the tens of thousands
- We understand damage caps but know when they don’t apply, like in wrongful death cases
- We track down all your medical records, bills, and insurance correspondence
- We serve clients throughout Ohio and can meet you at your home or hospital
- We don’t back down when facing aggressive hospital legal teams
“Unlike typical injury cases, Ohio medical malpractice claims have a one-year statute of limitations and require specialized medical testimony. Our firm has the resources to secure proper medical experts, fund the necessary investigation, and navigate these complex requirements. We know how to overcome the hurdles that stop many victims from receiving the compensation they deserve.”
–David Chester
What We Cover So You Don't Have To
- Getting all your medical records
- Finding and paying medical experts for testimony
- Court filing fees and document preparation
- You pay nothing unless we win–we take the risk, not you
- If we lose, we eat the costs
5-Step Process for Getting Started With a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Columbus
- Contact us so we can gather details about your case
- We collect all medical records, bills, and insurance paperwork
- We find medical experts who understand what went wrong
- We get the required Affidavit of Merit before filing to ensure your claim has merit
- We build a strategy that maximizes your potential compensation
5-Step Process for Getting Justice and Maximum Compensation
- We document every expense related to the malpractice
- We calculate future medical costs and lost earning potential
- We gather evidence of pain, suffering, and life limitations
- We prepare thoroughly to counter defense arguments
- We push for fair settlement but prepare for trial if needed
Medical Malpractice Resources
DISCLAIMER: When necessary, Chester Law Group with client consent teams up with litigation co-counsel with trial experience in medical malpractice claims to help clients achieve the best results possible. The results are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each of the clients’ cases and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client’s case. The litigation co-counsel is listed where appropriate.
Medical Malpractice Case: Failure to Acknowledge Patient’s Drug Allergy.
Our client, a middle-aged Northeast Ohio woman, went in for routine surgery. She checked the box stating she was allergic to a medication used in anesthesia. She identified the drug she was allergic to. The anesthesiologist gave her that drug and she ended up with serious injuries, including brain damage leading to memory loss. Litigation co-counsel was Chris Mellino. The hospital made a confidential settlement before the jury trial. Attorney Mellino went to trial against the doctors involved and received a $3,100,000.00 jury verdict. Case remanded for a new trial. Case settled before second trial. Final settlement: confidential.
Trial Verdict: $3,100,000.00; January 2020
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASE: FAILURE TO DO ULTRASOUND ON PREGNANT WOMAN.
Our client, an Ohio woman was pregnant and went to her local hospital complaining of severe abdominal pain. The hospital knew that she was pregnant but failed to use baby monitor or do an ultrasound. The mother had internal bleeding which resulted in the death of her unborn child. A lawsuit was filed and a settlement reached quickly after. Our sincerest sympathies go out to her and her family. This tragedy could have been avoided if the hospital staff had followed established legal guidelines for the treatment of pregnant women with abdominal pain. The litigation co-counsel was Chris Mellino.
Settlement: $1,000,000; March 2015
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASE: FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE TOXIC KIDNEY STONES.
Our client, an Ohio resident in her eighties, went in for treatment of kidney stones. It was our position that the doctor did not do the proper testing to determine if the kidney stones were toxic. When the doctor dissolved the kidney stones, the toxic remains killed our client. We co-counseled this claim with Chris Mellino which settled for $850,000 before trial. There was very little in economic damages due to our client’s advanced age. We are sorry for her family’s loss
Settlement: $850,000; January 2013
Common Questions About Medical Malpractice Cases in Ohio
Ohio law gives you just one year from when you discovered the injury. This is much shorter than other personal injury cases. If you wait too long, you lose your right to compensation forever. Contact a medical malpractice attorney in Columbus right away if you suspect malpractice.
To have a valid medical malpractice case in Ohio, you need to have a few things:
- First, a doctor-patient relationship must have existed.
- Second, the medical professional must have been negligent by failing to provide care that meets the accepted standard.
- Third, this negligence must have directly caused an injury.
We carefully evaluate your medical records, consult with specialists, and determine if your case meets Ohio’s requirements for an Affidavit of Merit.
Signs of potential malpractice include unexpected complications, treatments that differ from what other doctors recommend, or a healthcare provider admitting a mistake was made. During your free consultation, we’ll review your situation and determine whether your case is worth pursuing.
Ohio law limits the money you can recover for pain and suffering ( called “non-economic damages”). Here’s how it works:
- For most cases: You can receive up to $350,000 per person or $500,000 total per case.
- For severe injuries: If you suffered permanent disability or severe disfigurement, the limit increases to $500,000 per person or $1,000,000 per case.
- For wrongful death: If your loved one died from medical negligence, there is NO cap on non-economic damages.
- For medical bills and lost wages: There is no limit on these “economic damages”–you can recover the full amount.
Section 2323.451 of Ohio law requires this document before filing. A doctor in the same field as the doctor you’re suing must state that malpractice occurred. This extra step helps ensure your claim has merit before going to court. Without this affidavit, the court will dismiss your case immediately, regardless of how strong your evidence might be.
Sometimes, but not for simple mistakes. Punitive damages are only available for intentional misconduct or gross negligence. These are capped at twice your compensatory damages, and for individual doctors, they can’t exceed 10% of their net worth up to $350,000.