Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Ohio & Michigan: Protecting Patient Rights
When we turn to doctors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals, we place our trust—and often our lives—in their hands. Most of the time, this trust is well placed. But when preventable medical errors occur, the consequences can be life-altering or even fatal. Medical malpractice disrupts lives, destroys financial security, and leaves patients and families reeling from trauma, loss, and unanswered questions.
Recent research confirms the magnitude of the problem. A 2016 analysis published in The BMJ estimated that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for approximately 251,000 deaths each year. Broader studies suggest the range may be as high as 210,000 to 440,000 preventable hospital deaths annually. While neither Ohio nor Michigan provides direct public reporting on medical error fatalities, population-based projections indicate that Ohio may see 3,500 to 7,400 deaths annually, with Michigan’s estimates ranging from 3,000 to 6,300 each year due to preventable mistakes in medical care.
At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we understand how devastating these failures can be. With more than 70 years of experience representing victims of medical negligence throughout Ohio, Michigan, and Northeast Indiana, our firm is committed to holding healthcare providers accountable and helping patients and their families pursue the compensation and the answers they deserve.
Understanding Medical Malpractice
These lapses can take many forms, including surgical mistakes, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, prescription or anesthesia errors, birth injuries, inadequate patient monitoring, and critical failures in documentation. What all malpractice cases share is preventable harm—avoidable errors that should not have happened under proper medical care.
While every medical procedure carries some risk, malpractice goes beyond bad outcomes. It involves negligence, meaning the provider did not act in a way that another qualified provider would have. Victims of medical negligence often experience long-term physical and emotional trauma, unexpected medical costs, and loss of trust in the healthcare system.
At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we’ve spent decades helping victims of medical malpractice across Ohio and Michigan understand their rights, hold negligent providers accountable, and pursue the compensation they need to rebuild their lives.
Surgical Errors and Operating Room Negligence
Surgery carries inherent risk, but when complications arise due to preventable mistakes, they may constitute medical malpractice.
Common Surgical Errors Include:
Leaving surgical instruments or sponges inside the body
Performing an unnecessary or unauthorized procedure
Damaging nearby organs or nerves
Infections due to unsanitary techniques
Inadequate post-operative care or monitoring
Even a single mistake during surgery can cause long-term disability, additional surgeries, or even death. For example, we once handled a case involving a patient from Fremont, Ohio, who underwent gallbladder surgery only to discover months later that a surgical sponge had been left inside her abdomen. The resulting infection and internal damage led to extended hospitalization and permanent harm.
Negligence of Healthcare Professionals
In most cases of medical malpractice, the negligence of healthcare professionals is usually to blame. These malpractices may include surgical errors, birth injuries, delayed diagnoses, anesthesia issues, and medication mistakes. Many patients also suffer from bedsores, asthma, and infections due to inadequate care. Lack of attention to a patient’s clinical course can have severe consequences. Healthcare professionals often overlook a condition or fail to draw the right conclusions to diagnose a condition or prescribe the right medication.
Anesthesia Malpractice
Anesthesia must be administered with exact precision. Anesthesia errors can lead to devastating outcomes such as:
Brain damage
Cardiac arrest
Respiratory failure
Adverse drug reactions or allergic responses
Anesthesia malpractice may result from:
Dosage miscalculations
Failure to review the patient’s medical history
Lack of monitoring during the procedure
Delayed recognition of complications
A simple oversight—like not confirming medication allergies or missing pre-op red flags—can result in permanent injury or death. These claims often involve multiple parties, including anesthesiologists, nurses, and hospital staff.
Birth Injuries
Numerous factors, such as medical malpractice, negligence, improper use of medical equipment, and inadequate monitoring, can lead to childbirth injuries. Some common birth injuries include cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injury, and Erb’s palsy. Cerebral palsy affects muscle movement and control, while brachial plexus injury occurs when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during delivery. Erb’s palsy is a specific type of brachial plexus injury that affects the baby’s arm and hand. In some cases, medical errors during treatment can result in a brain injury.
Birth injuries often result from medical negligence. Healthcare professionals may fail to properly monitor fetal distress, diagnose and treat complications such as infections or umbilical cord problems, or make mistakes during the delivery process, such as using excessive force or improper delivery techniques. Negligence can also occur before delivery due to improper prenatal care or failure to recognize high-risk pregnancy factors.
Delayed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis
When it comes to medical diagnoses, accuracy plays a key role. A wrong diagnosis can have devastating consequences for a patient, even causing serious injury or death. While we often think of physicians as the primary diagnosticians, other medical staff members can also be at fault for misdiagnoses. Radiologists, pathologists, diagnostic technicians, and lab technicians are all responsible for ensuring that patients receive the correct diagnosis. Failing to do so can result in untreated diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infection, and diabetes, leading to irreparable harm. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that patients receive proper diagnoses supported by the appropriate diagnostic tests and follow-up measures to prevent the serious implications of delayed diagnoses or misdiagnoses.
Medication Errors
Healthcare faces a significant problem with medication errors. According to a report by the National Academy of Medicine, medication errors cause over 7,000 deaths in the USA annually. This number is likely higher due to underreporting of medication mistakes. Several factors contribute to these errors. Doctors work in a high-stress environment, potentially causing them to overlook crucial details. The pharmacy may fill the wrong prescription, and patients may not correctly follow instructions.
One common medication error involves prescribing the wrong medication or dosage. Doctors sometimes rely on memory instead of checking the medical record, resulting in incorrect prescriptions. Administering medication at the wrong time or route is another frequent mistake. Some medications require food intake, while others need an empty stomach. Not following these instructions can lead to adverse effects. Pharmacists can also make mistakes with medication labels, which can confuse patients.
Psychological and Financial Effects
Medical errors not only physically harm patients but also inflict debilitating psychological and financial effects on both the patient and their family. The patient and their family may incur significant costs due to hospital visits, prescription medications, rehabilitation, and court proceedings. Additionally, a patient might face challenges in returning to work or living independently. Life-altering procedures such as amputations, spinal cord injuries, and neurological damage demand constant care and attention. Seeking compensation through the legal process can be lengthy and draining, with obtaining the appropriate compensation even more challenging.
The Legal Process: How a Malpractice Case Works
If you believe you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice, it’s critical to act quickly. The process begins with a free consultation, during which we’ll listen to your story, gather facts, and help you understand whether you may have a claim. If your case moves forward, we will collect your medical records, imaging, and treatment history for thorough review.
From there, we consult independent medical experts to determine whether your provider deviated from the accepted standard of care. If negligence is found, we file a formal claim and begin the process of negotiation or trial, if necessary. These cases are complex, and success requires deep legal and medical knowledge, along with access to top-tier experts. Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault has the resources and experience to handle these cases thoroughly and compassionately.
In Ohio, you typically have one year from the date of the incident—or from when you discovered the injury—to file a malpractice claim. In Michigan, the statute of limitations is generally two years. Wrongful death claims often have slightly different deadlines, but either way, the clock starts quickly. Don’t wait.
What Compensation Is Available in a Medical Malpractice Case?
Medical malpractice often results in significant financial losses, emotional trauma, and long-term challenges. If negligence is proven, you may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include the costs of medical treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity are also factored in, particularly for those whose injuries affect their ability to work.
Non-economic damages reflect the pain and suffering endured by the patient and their family. This may include emotional distress, physical discomfort, and the overall loss of enjoyment of life. In the most tragic cases, where malpractice results in death, surviving family members may seek damages for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the loss of companionship.
We understand how difficult these outcomes are for families, and we pursue every possible avenue to secure fair and full compensation that addresses the full scope of the damage.
Why Choose Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault?
Choosing the right attorney is one of the most important decisions you can make when pursuing a medical malpractice case. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we’ve been fighting for injured clients for over 70 years. Our firm has successfully represented patients across Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Indiana—including cities like Toledo, Maumee, Defiance, Fremont, Findlay, Lima, Mansfield, Sandusky, and Monroe, Michigan.
We bring more than just experience—we bring results, resources, and relentless dedication. Our attorneys understand the complexities of malpractice law and work closely with expert witnesses, investigators, and case managers to build strong, evidence-based claims. Clients trust us because we communicate, fight aggressively, and never lose sight of what matters most: helping people reclaim their lives after trauma. Whether negotiating a settlement or taking your case to trial, we stand by your side every step of the way.
Experience You Can Trust and Depend On
If you or someone you love has suffered harm due to a surgical error, birth injury, misdiagnosis, anesthesia mistake, or any other form of medical malpractice, don’t face it alone. The experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault are here to protect your rights and help you pursue the compensation you deserve. We provide free, confidential consultations to help you understand your legal options without any upfront costs. And because we work on a contingency fee basis, you won’t pay a dime unless we win your case.
Call 419-843-6663 today or contact us online to speak with a trusted medical malpractice lawyer in Ohio or Michigan. With offices in Toledo, Maumee, Defiance, Fremont, Findlay, Lima, Mansfield, Sandusky, and Monroe, Michigan, we’re ready to fight for you—wherever you need us.
