Medical Malpractice/Birth Injury
Houston Medical Malpractice/Birth Injury Lawyer
If you or a family member have been seriously injured or have sustained the loss of a loved one by a doctor or hospital, you know how your needs and priorities can change quickly — it takes only an instant to be suddenly faced with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, loss of income and more.
Mithoff Law has decades of experience handling medical malpractice and birth injury cases. Richard Warren Mithoff and Mithoff Law have successfully handled more than several thousand cases over 50 years in nearly every area of personal injury, wrongful death and commercial litigation, including well in excess of more than several hundred cases taken to trial. Our reputation is widely known:
“Mithoff has been one of Houston’s most respected attorneys for decades, handling such high-profile cases as the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Enron-related litigation on behalf of JPMorgan/Chase and highly publicized bus and plant explosions.”
–Houston Chronicle, June 26, 2019
“Mithoff, a Houston personal injury lawyer, is no stranger to winning big payoffs for large groups of people. He negotiated a $2.3 billion settlement with the tobacco industry for Harris and other counties, and he won $80 million for residents of a nursing home who were killed in a 2005 bus explosion while fleeing Hurricane Rita.”
– Houston Chronicle, November 22, 2017
If you or a family member or friend are seriously injured as the result medical procedure, you should seek out the names of one or more highly qualified trial lawyers who have successfully handled a significant number of these kinds of cases.
Your most trustworthy sources for such a referral may be a close friend, a colleague from work, a fellow parishioner from your church, or another lawyer who is a personal friend and who can give you an unbiased opinion about the best lawyer to consult.
Publicly reported verdicts and settlements, examples of which follow, reflect our approach to the trial and settlement of cases. Some of the more high-profile cases involving medical malpractice were the subject of extensive news coverage, which very often include examples of the kind of evidence taken into account by the juries deciding these cases.
DISCLAIMER
Verdicts and settlements as reported in these multiple news sources reflect the amount of these verdicts and settlements at the time they were reported and do not necessarily reflect the amounts ultimately recovered by the parties and may not be representative of results in other similar cases.
Reported amounts will not reflect attorneys’ fees (typically up to a 40 percent contingent fee) or case expenses. Jury verdicts may have been settled pending an appeal for a lesser amount and may have been settled on a confidential basis by agreement of the parties as approved by the court.
Examples of Mithoff Law’s Prominent Cases
By choosing Mithoff Law, clients can rest assured that they’re working with one of the premier medical malpractice law firms in the country. Recipient of several prestigious awards, founder Richard Mithoff has been twice designated Forbes Top 10 Trial Lawyer in the United States. With more than 50 years of experience to his name, Mithoff and his team — all highly acclaimed their own right — have won a number of high-profile legal cases, including:
Mithoff’s Medical Malpractice Magic
Romero Case – Jury Verdict for Botched Surgery
Lawyer Fights for Newborns — In Court and With Endowment
Verdict May Change Hospital Immunity Standard
Hospital Settles Suit; Promises Tough Stance on Drug-testing Policy
Brain Injury at Birth Settlement in Pasadena
Mithoff has been the subject of profiles in a number of publications, including:
- Texas Super Lawyers “Legends of the Law” (“notching hundreds of $1 million-plus personal injury and commercial verdicts and settlements;” “an uncanny ability to grasp the heart of a case and craft persuasive arguments to sway judges and juries”)
- Houston Chronicle “A Sense of Empathy” (“a sense of empathy has helped Mithoff become one of nation’s most successful trial attorneys;” “connecting with both judges and juries through his mild manner and straight-forward approach.”)
- Detroit Free Press “Liability of Silence” (“Beating big corporations with big verdicts made Richard Mithoff one of the country’s best-known product-liability attorneys.”)
- Houston Business Journal “Attorney Wins Cases for Causes in Trials by Fire” (“one of the state’s most prominent legal renegades”)
- The Texas Lawbook “Richard Mithoff: Million-Dollar Verdicts that Save Lives” (“wins the old fashion way–by out-thinking outworking and outperforming his opposition.”)
- Texas Super Lawyers “Straight Up and Unshaken” (“a master at connecting with a jury.”)
- Texas’ Best Lawyers “Richard Mithoff Fighting for an Emotionally Charged Verdict in Louisiana” (“one of the most emotionally challenging of his storied career.”)
- Lawyers Weekly USA “The Richest Small-Firm Lawyers in America” (“clients flock to Mithoff knowing he can get the job done quickly.”)
- Houston Press “Best Civil Attorney” (“legal dynamo developed his considerable skills, grace and guts under the best.”)
Mithoff has received a number of awards in recognition of his lifetime achievements, including:
- Texas Super Lawyers Top 10 in Texas
- University of Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award
- University of Texas Law School Lifetime Achievement Award
- Lifetime Excellence in Advocacy Award Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists (see tribute by Justice Tracy Christopher)
- Leon Green Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Legal Profession Texas Law Review (see tribute by former Chief Justice Tom Phillips)
- Professional Excellence Award, Lifetime Achiever — Texas Lawyer
- Lions of the Bar – The Texas Lawbook
- Champion of Justice Award – Texas Watch
- Chrys Dougherty “Good Apple Award” – Texas Appleseed
- Jurisprudence Award – Anti-Defamation League
Mithoff has been elected to fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.
We are dedicated to achieving the very best result in your case, whether by jury verdict or settlement. Attorneys with Mithoff Law have access to the best experts available, based on over 50 years of preparing cases for trial. We know how and when to consult engineers and experts who can reconstruct the facts of your case.
Medical Malpractice
Medical Malpractice Attorney in Houston
As a patient, you have rights, and the Houston medical malpractice lawyers at Mithoff Law are here to help you defend them. Few things are as important or deeply personal as our health. So when we entrust our lives or those of our loved ones to the hands of medical professionals, we do so with full expectations that they will perform their duties carefully.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. According to a recent John Hopkins study, more than 250,000 people die from medical malpractice each year, making it the third-leading cause of death nationwide. Additionally, survivors of medical malpractice can be left with debilitating, lifelong injuries that drastically impact your quality of life.
Get the experienced representation you and your family deserve. Call Mithoff Law today at 713-654-1122.
“Mithoff, a Houston personal injury lawyer, is no stranger to winning big payoffs for large groups of people. He negotiated a $2.3 billion settlement with the tobacco industry for Harris and other counties, and he won $80 million for residents of a nursing home who were killed in a 2005 bus explosion while fleeing Hurricane Rita.”
– Houston Chronicle, November 22, 2017
Mithoff Law’s medical malpractice success stories
Mithoff Law has helped victims of medical malpractice and their families recover damages in complex cases, the results of which have even changed standard medical procedures.
- Fighting post-operation negligence: Mithoff Law won $1.14 million for the family of a deceased patient who died due to inadequate post-op care while she was supposed to be recovering in the hospital. In this case, our investigation and expert witnesses helped bring troubling issues to light, altering the way patients are cared for after operations.
- Taking Dow Chemical to task for toxic breast implants: Mithoff Law also represents those injured by the manufacturers of defective medical devices. After leaking breast implants caused his clients significant health problems, Richard Mithoff set new precedents with the first successful verdict against manufacturer Dow Corning.
- Billion dollar settlements: When thousands of people were given faulty artificial hips, Mithoff Law took the manufacturer to task, helping to negotiate a billion dollar settlement on behalf of all affected patients, and forcing the recall of 40,000 dangerous artificial hips.
What qualifies as medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, hospital, or other medical professional acts negligently or carelessly, causing injury to a patient. In order to be considered medical malpractice, negligence must occur during the medical process as a part of diagnosis or treatment.
Types of medical malpractice
In addition to basic medical negligence, malpractice can occur in a number of forms. The following are the six most commonly reported types of medical malpractice:
- Surgical errors: Mistakes made during surgery can have devastating, even fatal consequences for patients, from spinal and neurological injuries to undue pain as the result of poor anesthesia. Patients may still have the right to seek damages for surgical errors, even after signing a consent form.
- Birth injuries: Inadequate prenatal care or negligence during birth can lead to severe, even fatal consequences for newborns and their mothers.
- Misdiagnosis: A misdiagnosis of a disease or condition can result in harm to the patient, if the misdiagnosis worsens the patient’s outcome.
- Delayed diagnosis: A delayed diagnosis can occur because of many factors, including inadequate screening. These delays may allow a harmful disease to worsen.
- Failure to treat: Even with a correct diagnosis, sometimes doctors fail to deliver the correct and adequate treatment owed to their patients.
- Medical product liability: When medical products are defective, a treatment issue can begin long before a patient falls ill and visits their doctor. Faulty surgical equipment — including medical products such as meshes, pacemakers, and filters — can injure or even kill patients. In these cases, you may be able to sue the manufacturer for damages as well as the practitioner, depending upon the circumstances.
“Since he started practicing in 1974, his cases have helped produce reforms in hospital credentialing of physicians and reporting of physician misconduct; prompted medical manufacturers to pull defective products off the market; led hospitals to improve their use of post-surgical intravenous solutions; and triggered a manufacturer’s recall of defective tires.”
– Super Lawyers, September 15, 2021
Contact a trial-ready Houston medical malpractice lawyer at Mithoff Law
Mithoff Law has represented many clients for medical malpractice and has attorneys and subject matter experts that are well-versed in the legal and medical knowledge necessary to pursue such claims.
We have pursued all manner of medical malpractice claims, including claims involving medical specialties as diverse as bariatric surgery, pediatric care, oncology, anesthesiology, and nursing care. The claims we have pursued often involve death or serious injuries, such as quadriplegia, paraplegia, or brain injury. We employ a registered nurse to assist in the review and preparation of claims.
Our team is experienced in navigating the substantial medico-legal hurdles imposed in Texas as a result of tort reform and is prepared to review any potential medical malpractice claim. Let us fight for you.
Call the medical malpractice lawyers at Mithoff Law at 713-654-1122.
