When you seek medical care, you place enormous trust in the hands of healthcare professionals. Whether at a Tacoma clinic, local hospital, or regional specialist, most medical professionals provide excellent care for their patients. But when medical negligence occurs, the consequences can be life-altering. Patients and families are left facing unexpected medical bills, long recovery periods, loss of income, and the emotional weight of knowing the harm could have been prevented.
At Gordon Thomas Honeywell, our medical malpractice lawyers help individuals and families across Seattle and Tacoma understand their rights and take meaningful action. For over a century, Gordon Thomas Honeywell attorneys have made significant contributions to the profession and the community, including representing members of our community in medical malpractice and personal injury law. Our medical malpractice attorneys provide clear guidance, steady advocacy, and a path forward. When medical negligence disrupts your life, you deserve a legal team that brings both strength and compassion to your corner, every step of the way.
Medical negligence, also called medical malpractice, occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, and that failure results in injury or harm. The standard of care refers to what a reasonably competent medical professional would have done under the same or similar circumstances. When a provider’s actions fall below this standard, and the patient is harmed as a result, a claim may exist.
A medical malpractice case may involve:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Hospitals and emergency departments
- Specialists
- Doctors
- Surgeons
- Surgical teams
- Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- Other licensed healthcare professionals
Medical negligence is not about an unexpected outcome or a risk inherent to treatment. It is about preventable errors, substandard care, and avoidable harm.
When medical care goes wrong, its effects can extend far beyond the initial injury. Victims of medical malpractice often experience:
- Serious or Worsened Injuries: These may require additional surgeries, long-term treatment, rehabilitation, or lifelong medical support.
- Emotional and Psychological Strain: The loss of trust in medical providers can create significant anxiety, frustration, or fear about future care.
- Financial Hardship: Medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs add up quickly.
- Impact on Families: Loved ones often become caregivers, lose income, or face significant emotional strain following a preventable medical error.
- Wrongful Death: In the most devastating circumstances, negligence leads to the loss of a loved one, leaving families with profound grief and complex legal questions.
At GTH, we understand how overwhelming these challenges can feel. Our role is to provide knowledgeable support, protect your rights, and pursue fair compensation so you can focus on recovery and stability.
Medical negligence takes many forms. Below are some of the most common types of cases our attorneys see, and litigate against where appropriate, in our Tacoma and Seattle offices:
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries can occur when medical professionals fail to identify fetal distress, delay necessary interventions, misuse delivery tools, or provide substandard care during labor and delivery. These cases often involve long-term medical needs and significant financial and emotional strain on families.
Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
When a healthcare provider fails to diagnose a condition promptly (or diagnoses the wrong condition), the outcome can be severe. Conditions such as stroke, heart attack, infections, and certain cancers require immediate treatment. A delay or error can drastically change a patient’s prognosis.
Surgical Errors
Examples include wrong-site surgery, retained surgical instruments, anesthesia errors, nerve damage, or failure to monitor a patient during or after surgery. Surgical negligence can result in substantial pain, subsequent procedures, and significant long-term harm.
Medication Mistakes
Medication-related negligence may involve incorrect dosage, wrong medication, pharmacy errors, or failure to monitor drug interactions. These mistakes can cause serious injury, hospitalization, or even wrongful death.
Anesthesia Miscalculations
Improper sedation, allergic reactions, inadequate monitoring, or dosage mistakes can lead to oxygen deprivation, organ damage, or critical medical emergencies.
Emergency Room Negligence
ER environments move quickly, but care must still meet the required standard. Common errors include delayed diagnosis, premature discharge, failure to recognize life-threatening symptoms, and triage mistakes.
Nursing Home Neglect
Cases involving preventable falls, medication errors, dehydration, infections, bedsores, pressure injuries, inadequate supervision, or other instances of nursing home neglect often reflect a facility’s failure to provide appropriate medical care for its vulnerable residents.
Wrongful Death
When a healthcare provider’s negligence results in the loss of a loved one, families may pursue a wrongful death litigation claim to secure accountability and financial stability.
If you believe your, or a loved one’s injury or chronic pain resulted from a provider’s negligence, our team can help you understand whether you may have a claim.
For more than a century, Gordon Thomas Honeywell has served individuals and families throughout the South Sound and across Washington State. Our reputation reflects the qualities clients value most in a medical negligence attorney: trusted guidance, strong advocacy, and a commitment to doing what’s right.
A Legacy of Proven Results
Our firm brings decades of experience handling complex medical malpractice cases—including surgical errors, misdiagnosis, birth injuries, medication errors, emergency room negligence, and wrongful death claims. Our legal team understands how these cases unfold, how insurance companies operate, and what is required to build a strong claim.
Deep Roots in Tacoma
With our Tacoma office located in the heart of downtown, we have a long history of representing patients, families, and community members harmed by medical errors in local hospitals and clinics. Our knowledge of Washington’s laws and courts allows us to provide clear, targeted guidance.
Client-Centered Advocacy
Medical negligence cases are deeply personal. Every client’s experience is unique, and the legal process can feel intimidating. Our approach is grounded in listening, understanding, and offering guidance that reflects your needs and goals—not a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Skilled, Specialized Representation
Medical malpractice law requires technical knowledge, the ability to work effectively with medical experts, and the skill to communicate complex issues clearly. Our attorneys combine legal insight with forward-thinking strategies to advocate for the best possible outcome.
Clear, Accessible Communication
You deserve legal representation from a law firm that explains the legal process in plain language, answers your questions, and keeps you informed throughout your case. We are committed to communicating clearly so you always understand your options.
Medical malpractice cases are complex, but fully understanding the process and working with advocates who constantly communicate throughout the process can ease uncertainty. At GTH, we guide clients through every stage with clarity and support.
- Free Consultation: Your case begins with a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We review your experience, medical records, and concerns, and discuss whether a medical malpractice lawsuit may be appropriate.
- Investigation and Medical Review: We obtain relevant medical records, imaging, test results, billing statements, and other documents. Our attorneys work with qualified medical experts who evaluate whether the standard of care was breached and if that breach caused your injury.
- Filing the Claim: If the evidence supports a claim, we file a medical malpractice lawsuit outlining the allegations and damages. This step initiates the formal legal process.
- Discovery: This phase helps clarify what happened and who may be responsible. Both sides exchange information through:
- Depositions
- Interrogatories
- Requests for medical records
- Depositions of the medical providers
- Expert reports
- Negotiation and Mediation: Many cases resolve through settlement discussions or mediation. Our attorneys negotiate strategically and assertively to pursue fair compensation that reflects your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term needs.
- Trial: If a fair agreement cannot be reached, our trial attorneys are prepared to take any case to trial. We have significant courtroom experience—we are trial attorneys—and understand how to present evidence to a jury in the most persuasive and compelling way.
Throughout the process, our focus remains protecting your rights and ensuring your voice is heard.
Taking the right steps early can help protect both your health and your potential claim.
Seek Medical Attention
Your health comes first. If you believe an error occurred, seek care from another medical professional to evaluate and address your condition.
Gather Documentation
Keep copies of:
- Medical records
- Appointment summaries
- Bills and receipts
- Test results
- Communications from healthcare providers or insurance companies
A detailed timeline of symptoms, treatments, and conversations can be extremely valuable. If you do not have your medical records, we are equipped to efficiently gather them on your behalf.
Avoid Speaking with Insurance Companies Alone
Insurance company representatives may contact you shortly after an adverse event. They may request statements or offer quick settlements. Before speaking with them, consult an attorney—anything you say could affect your claim.
Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney
Early legal support ensures important evidence is preserved and deadlines are met. A consultation can help you understand your rights and next steps.
How much does it cost to hire a medical negligence attorney?
GTH handles medical negligence cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no upfront legal fees. Our legal fee is collected only if we recover compensation on your behalf.
How long does a medical malpractice case take?
Some cases resolve within a year or two; others require more time. The timeline depends on:
- Case complexity
- Severity of injuries
- Expert review
- Court scheduling
- Negotiation progress
What compensation might be available?
You may recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, disfigurement, long-term care needs, and other losses.
Does signing a consent form prevent a claim?
No. Consent acknowledges known risks and benefits of a procedure—not negligent care. If your injury resulted from substandard treatment, you may still have a valid claim.
Can I file a claim if the provider is part of a government entity?
Yes, but these cases involve specific requirements and shorter deadlines. Immediate legal guidance is important.
What kind of medical negligence lawsuits usually get filed in court?
Medical malpractice cases may include a variety of treatments:
Contributory fault can limit recoverable damages for injured victims. Your GTH lawyer will secure the police report, gather evidence, and help you file a car accident claim with your insurance carrier. Your personal injury lawyer will also help determine which motorist is responsible for driver negligence.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by medical negligence, you do not have to navigate the legal process alone. At Gordon Thomas Honeywell, our personal injury practice brings experienced advocacy, personalized guidance, deep roots in Tacoma, and a track record of successful verdicts to every case. Our legal team is committed to protecting your rights and pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a Free Consultation
We invite you to contact our legal team for a free, confidential consultation. During this conversation, we’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and explain how we can help.
Who can be liable for medical negligence damages?
Healthcare providers legally liable may include:
It’s not uncommon for medical negligence attorneys to discover a history of negligence involving a medical professional or healthcare facility. In fact, medical malpractice attorneys could be representing other injured patients or their families in cases of preventable negligence involving the same doctor or facility as yourself or loved one.
When you schedule your free consultation, our legal team will review our case and look for case histories involving healthcare providers.
Our Attorneys
FAQs on Medical Negligence
Patients who have been injured by medical malpractice have three years from the date of the negligent act or omission to file a lawsuit, or one year of the time the patient or his or her representative discovered or reasonably should have discovered that the injury or condition was caused by said act or omission.
Meeting with a GTH medical malpractice attorney helps protect your legal rights from deadlines involving the statute of limitations.
Unlike some other states, Washington state does not limit damages in medical malpractice cases. Depending on your injuries and your case, you may be entitled to compensation for a variety of economic and non-economic damages.
Injured patients can recover for economic damages such as past and future medical expenses, long-term care, lost income and lost future income, and lost consortium (or spousal benefits). Non-economic damages may include pain and suffering, anxiety, mental distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disability, generalized fears and stress, disfigurement, and wrongful death of a loved one.
Fewer than 500 medical malpractice lawsuits are typically filed each year. Many medical malpractice lawsuits are settled. Some medical malpractice cases are filed with confidentiality agreements which prevent public disclosure about the amount of the settlements.
Most medical malpractice lawsuits are filed against the negligent medical professional and the medical facility where the negligence occurred. Medical professionals and facilities carry insurance to cover malpractice.
Some medical malpractice cases involve surgeries where the surgeon fell below the standard of care of a reasonably prudent surgeon in the State of Washington. Others may involve failure to properly diagnose an illness, or neglect at a nursing home or hospital where the patient developed a pressure ulcer that should have been prevented.
Medical malpractice cases involving defective medical devices can be more complex, particularly where the harm caused by the device may not reveal itself for years after implantation or treatment. An experienced medical malpractice attorney tracks trends related to defective medical devices and drugs.
Washington patients can file complaints or review complaints against healthcare providers with the Washington Medical Commission. You can visit their website here: https://wmc.wa.gov/public.
Medical malpractice attorneys can assist you in filing these complaints and may advise you to wait to file your complaint until your case has been investigated by the attorneys you retain to represent you.
However, you can review filed complaints with the Washington Medical Commission to determine if a healthcare provider has a prior history of medical negligence.
Attorneys reviewing your case will advise you on how to handle medical debt related to possible negligence.
Addressing the complexities of health insurance and medical debt is another important reason to schedule a free consultation about your case.
While attorneys review your case, patients can also contact Washington state’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to determine their rights for health insurance disputes: https://www.insurance.wa.gov/.
Experienced attorneys can often determine if you have a medical malpractice claim through a free consultation. Medical malpractice cases are often complicated and may require diligent investigation by experienced medical malpractice attorneys in consultation with top medical experts.
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