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A public hospital is one that is run or controlled by state or local government or a public trust, e.g. Norman Regional Hospital, Comanche County Memorial Hospital, or Oklahoma State University Medical Center. These hospitals and their employees including employed physicians are subject to the Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act.   This act limits the liability of public hospitals and its employees to $125,000 to $175,000 depending on the population of the county and $200,000 for certain state mental hospitals and university hospitals.  In addition, not only are you limited in the amount of money you can recover, but you also have shortened time frame to assert a claim of one year.

Private hospitals generally associated with large healthcare systems e.g. Mercy, SSM, Integris, Alliance, etc. They can also be privately owned surgicenters etc. Private entities are not limited in liability and you have two years from the date you discovered the injury to assert a claim against a private entity.

For example, a father of four minor children is negligently given the medication and dies. In a government/public hospital, recovery is capped significantly and the time frame is shortened to purse the claim. In a private hospital the recovery is not capped and the time frame to pursue the claim is longer. Why would anyone go to a public hospital for care when public/government hospitals do not have to be fully responsible and accountable for their errors.

The Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act starts at Title 51 O.S. 151 and continues:  Short Title (oscn.net)

Medical negligence = medical malpractice = medical error, they are terms for the same thing. Medical malpractice occurs when a health care provider (which can be an individual or an entity) neglects to provide appropriate treatment, omits to take appropriate action, or gives substandard treatment that causes harm, injury or death to a patient.

In legal parlance, it is referred to as “violating the standard of care”.  The standard of care is established in a medical malpractice case by the testimony of an expert, meaning a qualified physician in the same field of practice at issue.

Types of medical malpractice include but are not limited to:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
• Unnecessary, incorrect, or improperly performed surgery
• Premature discharge
• Not following up on testing ordered and results
• Failing to order appropriate diagnostic testing
• Failing to treat a patient’s condition or postoperative complication

Understanding Medical Malpractice in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know

Medical malpractice is a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for patients and their families. In the state of Oklahoma, medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in harm to the patient. Understanding the basics of medical malpractice is crucial for anyone who may have been affected by substandard medical care in Oklahoma.

What Constitutes Medical Malpractice in Oklahoma?

Medical malpractice in Oklahoma is defined as the failure of a healthcare provider to meet the prevailing professional standard of care, which results in injury or death to the patient. This standard of care is based on what a reasonably prudent healthcare provider would or would not do under similar circumstances. Examples of medical malpractice can include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, birth injuries, and failure to obtain informed consent.

In Oklahoma, medical malpractice cases are subject to a statute of limitations, which means there is a limited window of time in which a lawsuit can be filed. Typically, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases in Oklahoma is two years from the date of the injury or from the date the injury was or should have been discovered. It’s important for individuals who believe they have been victims of medical malpractice to seek legal counsel promptly to ensure their rights are protected.

Proving Medical Malpractice in Oklahoma

To successfully prove a medical malpractice claim in Oklahoma, the plaintiff must establish the following elements:

1. The existence of a doctor-patient relationship, where the healthcare provider owed a duty of care to the patient.
2. The healthcare provider’s breach of the standard of care, indicating a failure to provide treatment in a manner consistent with what a reasonably prudent provider would do under similar circumstances.
3. Causation, demonstrating that the healthcare provider’s breach of the standard of care directly caused the patient’s injury or harm.
4. Damages, which can include physical pain, emotional suffering, medical expenses, lost income, and other losses resulting from the malpractice.

Seeking Legal Assistance

If you believe that you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice in Oklahoma, it’s essential to seek legal assistance from a qualified attorney who specializes in medical malpractice cases. Attorney Heather Mitchell can help evaluate the circumstances of the case, gather evidence, consult medical experts, and navigate the complex legal process to pursue fair compensation for the harms suffered. She can help you in every aspect of the case.

In conclusion, medical malpractice is a serious issue that can have life-altering consequences for patients and their families. In Oklahoma, understanding the basics of medical malpractice law, including what constitutes medical malpractice and the process for proving a claim, is crucial for anyone who may have been affected by substandard medical care. By seeking legal counsel with Heather Mitchell, she can help you understand your rights, and can take the necessary steps to pursue justice and fair compensation for the harms they have endured due to medical malpractice.

If there is any question as to the exact cause of death, then yes. Three things must be proven to have a viable medical negligence case:

1. a negligent act or failure to act, that;
2. directly causes in its natural and continuous sequence;
3. injury or death.

If there is a question at all about the cause of death an autopsy will almost always provide the answer. This is a necessary element in any wrongful death case.  If you believe the cause of death was from something a health care provider did or did not do push for an autopsy.

I have seen cases where healthcare providers list generic causes of death such as, cardiopulmonary arrest.  But, what caused the cardiopulmonary arrest, an unexpected pulmonary embolism or internal bleeding post-surgery that was not diagnosed?

How do I get an autopsy?

Oklahoma law requires the state medical examiner to perform an autopsy under certain circumstances. These circumstances are specified in Title 63 O.S. 938 https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=99883 .

Deaths that are medically unexpected and that occur in the course of a therapeutic procedure require autopsy.

Even then, the medical examiner will sometimes decline because they believe the cause of death is not in question. If after pushing you can not get the Oklahoma Medical Examiner to perform an autopsy, private autopsies are available and are often done by off duty state medical examiners.  Ask the healthcare institution to pay for it. Get the hospital’s management involved and ask that they pay for an autopsy. You can also pay for one yourself. The service is actually called, Private Autopsy Service, their website is: https://www.autopsyok.com/

Under Oklahoma Law all health care providers must provide a patient with a copy of their medical records. The only exception are certain psychological, psychiatric or substance abuse treatment records. Go the website of the provider or go the Health Information Department at the institution and find their form to request medical records. You will need to sign the form and pay for copying charges.

Charges are fifty-cents ($.50) per page for paper copies or not to exceed $200.00 if transmitted electronically.

If the person has died, medical records can be obtained by a court appointed personal representative, administrator or executor. If none has been appointed, a surviving spouse or responsible family member can obtain the records. A responsible family member is defined as a parent, adult child, adult sibling or other adult relative actively involved in the care or monitoring of the care of the patient as verified by the treating health care providers.

The Oklahoma statute is: https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=439160

This is difficult to judge if you are seeing your doctor for the first time. Check to see if your doctor has been disciplined by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure at https://www.okmedicalboard.org/.  Go to the Search for a Licensee section and enter the last name.

If your doctor is a D.O. go to the Oklahoma Board of Osteopathic Examiners at  https://www.okmedicalboard.org/  and click on the tab at the top, Physician Search.

To check to see if your physician has been sued, go to https://www.oscn.net/dockets/Search.aspx and search by party.