Arizona Medical Malpractice Defense

Our Defense Lawyers Bring are Highly Experienced in Representing Arizona Doctors in Medical Malpractice Litigation

It’s been said that there are two types of doctors: Those who have been accused of medical malpractice, and those who will be accused of medical malpractice. In today’s highly litigious environment, malpractice allegations have become commonplace, and even top specialists at the most prestigious hospitals in Arizona and around the country are not immune from being accused of causing their patients harm.

At Oberheiden P.C., we bring notable experience to representing Arizona doctors in medical malpractice litigation. Our medical malpractice defense lawyers are highly experienced in all aspects of malpractice litigation, and they have significant experience representing doctors in other matters as well. In fact, many of our defense lawyers previously served as healthcare fraud prosecutors for the federal government. As a result, we are intimately familiar with the types of allegations that lead to claims against doctors—and we are equally familiar with the defenses doctors can use to overcome them.

Full-Service and Strategic Medical Malpractice Defense

We provide full-service defense representation for doctors accused of medical malpractice in Arizona. As a client of Oberheiden P.C., you will work directly with our senior attorneys throughout your case. You will have direct access 24/7, and our attorneys will work with your insurance company’s Arizona medical malpractice attorneys while fighting to overcome the plaintiff’s allegations on your behalf.

We also provide strategic defense representation. As medical malpractice litigation has proliferated, the arguments and strategies plaintiffs’ lawyers use to pursue their clients’ claims have become increasingly sophisticated. For example, today many plaintiffs’ lawyers rely on “hired gun” experts who they pay to help establish their clients’ claims for damages. We rely on experts of our own, and we work diligently to thwart plaintiffs’ allegations as quickly as possible. By strategically targeting pre-trial resolutions, we are able to protect our clients against the reputational harm that can attend publicized allegations of medical malpractice.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

John W. Sellers

Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice

Local Counsel

Joanne Fine DeLena

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Lynette S. Byrd

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Partner

Amanda Marshall

Former U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Aaron L. Wiley

Former Federal Prosecutor

Local Counsel

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (OIG)

Gamal Abdel-Hafiz

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Chris Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Kevin M. Sheridan

Former Special Agent (FBI)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Dennis A. Wichern

Former Special Agent-in-Charge (DEA)

Defenses to Allegations of Medical Malpractice in Arizona

There are many potential defenses to medical malpractice allegations under Arizona law. Once you engage Oberheiden P.C. to represent you, our senior medical malpractice defense lawyers will thoroughly examine the facts of your case in order to determine which of these defenses we can assert on your behalf. Some examples of possible defenses to allegations of medical malpractice in Arizona include:

1. You Met the Standard of Care

The basis of any medical malpractice claim is an alleged failure to meet the requisite standard of care. When seeking damages, it is incumbent upon the patient to prove this failure. Of course, not every failure to meet a patient’s expectations constitutes a dereliction of duty, and not every mistake rises to the level of professional negligence. If we can use expert testimony to show that you met your standard of care, then this should allow for a favorable resolution.

2. The “Substantial Minority” or “Respectable Minority” Defense

One of the ways that plaintiffs’ lawyers will attempt to prove that a doctor failed to meet the requisite standard of care is by arguing that the majority of doctors would have made a different decision. However, deviating from the generally-accepted medical consensus is not itself evidence of malpractice. If a “substantial minority” or “respectable minority” of doctors would have made the same decision based on the circumstances presented, then a claim for medical malpractice is unwarranted.

3. Lack of Causation

In addition to proving that you failed to meet the requisite standard of care, the plaintiff must also prove that this failure caused his or her injury or illness. If the plaintiff’s evidence of causation is lacking, then any evidence of failure to meet the standard of care is irrelevant. For example, if the plaintiff is alleging failure to diagnose but he or she would have experienced the same outcome with a timely diagnosis, then there is no causation—and there is no claim for medical malpractice.

4. Assumption of the Risk (Informed Consent)

In many cases, Arizona doctors can successfully defend against medical malpractice claims by asserting the defense of “assumption of the risk.” This is also known as informed consent. If the plaintiff was aware of the risks of a particular procedure and chose to move forward, he or she cannot now seek compensation as a result of the risks coming to fruition.

5. Arizona’s Good Samaritan Law

Arizona’s Good Samaritan law provides protection for doctors in certain situations as well. Under this law, doctors cannot be held liable for medical malpractice in relevant circumstances unless the malpractice rises to the level of willful misconduct or gross negligence. As a result, when Arizona’s Good Samaritan law applies, plaintiffs will have a much more difficult time proving their right to damages, and asserting the Good Samaritan defense will allow doctors to avoid liability in many cases.

6. Statute of Limitations

Even in situations involving legitimate claims of medical malpractice, plaintiffs cannot pursue claims if the statute of limitations has expired. Arizona’s statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is two years in most cases. However, the statute of limitations runs from age 18 for patients who are minors, and the filing deadline can be extended (although not indefinitely) for adult patients who are unable to discover the effects of their doctors’ mistakes immediately.

7. Comparative Negligence

The law of comparative negligence can provide a partial defense to a plaintiff’s medical malpractice allegations in some cases. Arizona follows the law of “pure comparative negligence,” which allows patients to recover a percentage of their losses when they are partially at fault for their own injuries or illnesses. Theoretically, even if a patient was 99% at fault, the patient could still recover 1% of his or her losses in medical malpractice litigation. As a practical matter, however, asserting comparative negligence can be an effective defense, as the prospect of only recovering a fraction of a plaintiff’s total damages may make proceeding with the litigation untenable.

FAQs: Defending Against Medical Malpractice Claims in Arizona

Speak with a Medical Malpractice Defense Lawyer at Oberheiden P.C.

If you need defense counsel for a medical malpractice case in Arizona, we encourage you to speak with one of our senior attorneys. Let us show you how our experience makes a difference when it comes to defending against allegations of malpractice. To get started with a complimentary case assessment, call 888-680-1745, or tell us how we can reach you and we will be in touch shortly.