Alabama Medical Malpractice AttorneysA lawsuit based on the Medical Malpractice of a loved one requires the skill and dedication of an experienced attorney with a track record of success in the courts of Alabama. If you've been injured as a result of medical malpractice, we'd like to discuss your potential claims. The Doyle Law Firm has represented families across Alabama in serious personal injury cases, including medical malpractice actions, in a variety of civil lawsuits - asbestos, dangerous drugs, negligence, trucking accidents, and toxic exposure to chemicals. We have a track record of success. If a loved one was seriously injured due to a medical mistake, we may be able to help. Call us today for a consultation.


Medical malpractice happens when a medical professional makes an error in treatment, or acts based on a negligent decision, which is contrary to the common principles of the medical community. Medical malpractice covers a range of wrongdoings from serious injuries to death. In the state of Alabama, the statute of limitations is straightforward, you have up to 2 years to file your claim, and in special circumstances, you have up to 4 years to file.


Studies have shown that more than 98,000 people die each year from medical malpractice. In fact, more people die from medical mistakes than from deaths caused by car accidents. That figure should tell you something about the state of our medical profession. While the AMA helps lead the charge for so-called “tort reform,” attacking attorneys for “frivolous” lawsuits, the numbers don’t lie: people are injured and many die from doctor’s mistakes. Many, if not all, are preventable. All told, more than 1.3 million people are injured each year by medical negligence, or mistakes by physicians, at an annual cost to the U.S. of $29 billion. In addition, an estimated 7,000 lives each year are lost to prescription errors in the U.S., and one percent of all patients in a given year will be injured during their stay in the hospital. Studies have also shown that hospital negligence causes an average of 80,000 lives to be lost annually, and roughly 1,500 of whom fall victim to surgical mistakes.


Some insurance companies are now refusing to make payments to doctors and hospitals for medical mistakes, but victims often don’t have that option if they’ve been maimed or killed by physician errors. If it's an injury due to a medical error, you need a medical malpractice attorney to help you make things right and to hold doctors accountable for their mistakes. In any other industry, negligence that causes injury has consequences. Why should the medical profession be exempt?


Injured by medical malpractice? Call Doyle Law at (205) 533-9500.

That’s where the Medical Malpractice Lawyers at the Doyle Law Firm come into the equation. We stand up for people injured by medical malpractice, negligence, and errors in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.


When physicians or staff ignore or disregard critical treatment options, a patient’s suffering increases and that patient will continue to suffer long after the treatment is complete. Sometimes, medical negligence can have destructive or distressing consequences, altering the lives of a patient and family for years, sometimes forever. Studies have shown that patients harmed in medical procedures rarely sue for monetary damages. According to one Harvard study, only one in eight case of medical negligence ever sees a claim brought against the medical professional or care facility responsible for the injury. Other studies show that a small percentage of doctors are responsible for most of the medical malpractice claims. In a study conducted by the West Virginia Gazette, 40 doctors were responsible for over 25% of all medical malpractice cases in that state.


Errors are unfortunate and frequently tragic, but the reality is that they happen with regularity and must be rectified as much as possible. Medical errors can result in health complications, significant loss of quality of life, devastating medical bills, even long term care, and one should not have to bear this terrible burden without help. A qualified and experienced Georgia Medical Malpractice Lawyer, Alabama Medical Malpractice Lawyer, or Mississippi Medical Malpractice Lawyer at the Doyle Law Firm can help you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries or loss.


Our goal in Medical Malpractice litigation is to maximize your family's overall financial recovery while providing support to you in every way possible in a time of crisis and loss. We collect no attorney's fee unless we win your case through settlement or trial, and we advance all the necessary expenses involved in the proof of your claim at our own risk. Our lawyers can travel anywhere you need us to go to meet you and consult with you.

Types of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits We Handle

There are many types of medical malpractice cases that can be brought against physicians, hospitals, and medical personnel. These cases may involve hospital errors, failure to diagnose, surgical errors, and more. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical malpractice, it is important to contact an attorney who can protect your rights and help you to obtain compensation. The following are examples of medical malpractice:

  • Anesthesia Errors
  • Birth Injury
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Burn Therapy
  • Child Delivery
  • Defective Drugs or Products
  • Experimentation
  • Failure to Diagnose
  • Lung Cancer
  • Improper Procedure
  • Medical Error
  • Nursing Home
  • Surgical Errors
  • Wrongful Death

Anesthesia Errors

The administration of anesthesia requires the use of sensitive techniques. Improper use of the anesthetic agents, oxygen, and other substances and equipment can result in serious physical impairment or death. It is also important to note that before anesthesia is administered, the acting anesthesiologist must check to make sure that the patient does not have any conditions that may cause complications. A failure to thoroughly check for these conditions or proceeding despite them can lead to serious injury, and is a common basis for medical malpractice cases.

Birth Injury

The birth of a child is supposed to be a happy occasion, but when hospital errors result in a birth injury, joy quickly turns to despair as the family learns to deal with the tragedy. Medical malpractice claims are often filed when a birth injury occurs. Birth injuries can include Erb's palsy, or brain damage resulting in conditions such as cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy

A medical malpractice case can be brought against physicians and other medical professionals when their negligence causes an injury resulting in cerebral palsy (a form of brain damage). Brain damage can occur due to a failure to diagnose metabolic conditions, Rh incompatibility, oxygen shortage, and other problems.

Burn Therapy

Serious burns must adequately treated in order to prevent further injury, loss of tissue, or death. If a health care provider does not properly treat a burn injury, he or she can be held liable in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Child Delivery

Medical professionals assisting with pregnancy and childbirth may face charges of medical malpractice if they fail to recognize abnormalities including Rh-incompatibility, large baby syndrome, and malformations. Similarly, a medical professional can be held liable if he or she is negligent during labor and delivery and causes a birth injury such as cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy. If your child has been injured due to the negligence of a medical professional, you may be entitled to compensation.

Defective Drugs or Products

An individual suffering from injuries caused by a defective drug or defective medical product may be entitled to compensation from the hospital, doctor, manufacturer, or distributor. If you were not warned about the dangers of the product, or if the product did not meet safety standards and caused an injury, you may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Experimentation

Medical personnel that perform procedures or prescribe drugs that are unapproved by reputable medical organizations are at risk for medical malpractice.

Failure to Diagnose

When a medical professional makes an incorrect diagnosis after being given adequate information about a patient, and injuries result, the patient may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This can occur when a medical professional fails to diagnose a disease, damage to bone structure, illnesses caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, and numerous other conditions.

Breast Cancer

A medical malpractice case can be brought against physicians for failing to diagnose breast cancer in a timely manner. In 1999, these cases accounted for 40 percent of all medical malpractice claims. The top three reasons doctors fail to diagnose breast cancer are that they rely too heavily on a patient's age as a predictor, they rely too heavily on negative mammogram results (even if the patient feels a lump), or they do not believe a patient when she reports symptoms.

Lung Cancer

Medical malpractice claims can be brought against physicians for failing to diagnose lung cancer. In one case in Massachusetts, a patient successfully sued a physician for failing to disclose a lung cancer diagnosis after chest x-rays and a CT scan were performed.

Improper Procedure

Medical professionals can make simple mistakes that can be costly to the patient. Examples include delays in treatment or failure to obtain proper consent for treatment. Victims of such carelessness should contact a medical malpractice attorney immediately after they suspect negligence has occurred so the responsible party can be held accountable for the medical malpractice lawsuit.

Medication Errors

Issuing insufficient amounts of medication or improper instructions for its usage can be detrimental to a patient's health. A medical malpractice case can be brought against physicians or pharmacists for medication errors when handwritten prescriptions are illegible, when abbreviations are used on the prescription, when the patient is given the wrong dosage, and when two drugs with similar spellings are confused. It is estimated that medication errors occur at a rate of 30,000 to 180,000 per year.

Nursing Home Abuse

A medical malpractice case can be brought against nursing home staff if they neglect or abuse elderly patients who are under their care. Elder abuse can include physical, psychological, emotional, and financial abuse, as well as neglect.

Surgical Errors

All surgical procedures have risks, even when performed correctly. If evaluation, preparation, any part of the surgical procedure, or postoperative care is inadequate, the procedure may fail or serious side effects may occur. A medical malpractice attorney with experience handling these complex cases can help those who have been injured as a result of surgical errors determine if they have a valid medical malpractice lawsuit.

Wrongful Death

Medical malpractice claims can be brought against physicians for wrongful death when a patient dies as a result of medical malpractice or negligence. Wrongful death lawsuits are filed in an attempt to defray medical costs for the family of the victim. In addition, compensation may be awarded for lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship.

I've been injured by Medical Malpractice. What can I do?

The Doyle Law Firm attorneys are personal injury trial lawyers. Our experience and understanding of Medical Malpractice litigation and the special problems of proof that sometimes arise can represent a significant advantage in the resolution of your Medical Malpractice claim.

Contact Alabama Medical Malpractice Litigation Attorneys at Doyle Law Firm - Birmingham, Alabama

Contact an Alabama Medical Malpractice Law Firm

Filing a Medical Malpractice lawsuit can help families recover the appropriate compensation for the injury or lost life of a loved one. If you choose the Doyle Law Firm, PC to represent you in your Alabama Medical Malpractice lawsuit, you can count on compassion, respect, a high degree of caring personal service, and quality legal experience and expertise in Medical Malpractice litigation. Call us today for a free consultation.

Award Limits on Medical Malpractice Verdicts in Alabama

The state of Alabama has no set award limits, or caps, for their negligence and medical malpractice lawsuits. The Alabama State Supreme Court has declared award limitations unconstitutional.

Alabama Statute of Limitations For Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

In some cases, it is not uncommon for the symptoms and side effects of medical malpractice to become apparent many years after the fact. Within the state of Alabama, all claims against any health care providers must be taken to court between six months to two years after they have occurred. Should a patient have an extreme disability or is still very young at the two year mark, the court may allow an extension, or toll, on their statute of limitations of up to four years after the claimed negligence has occurred. If you are filing a medical malpractice claim as the family of a deceased party, you have up to two years after the persons passing to file the claim.


It takes time to acquire medical records, employment records, gather evidence, and draft pleadings, so please do not delay in contacting us if you have any concern that your injury (or a loved one's life was lost) due to the act of a doctor. In medical malpractice matters, time is of the essence.