What is the difference between a medical malpractice claim and a personal injury claim?

The primary difference between a medical malpractice claim and a personal injury claim is the responsible party. In a medical malpractice claim, the responsible party is almost always a healthcare provider, or someone connected to the healthcare provider such as a nurse, doctor, or hospital. In a personal injury claim, the responsible party is someone other than a healthcare provider. If a patient’s injury is caused by a healthcare provider’s negligence, the patient may have a medical malpractice claim against the provider or the provider’s employer. In Washington, a medical malpractice claim must be filed within three years of the date of the incident and the patient must prove that the standard of care that the provider was expected to meet was not met. A personal injury claim is brought against a person or a company that was negligent and caused harm to another. The person who brings the claim must prove that the other party was negligent and that the negligence caused the injury. In Washington, a personal injury claim must be filed within three years of the date of the incident. In summary, the key difference between a medical malpractice claim and a personal injury claim is the responsible party. A medical malpractice claim is against a healthcare provider and a personal injury claim is against a person or a company that was negligent and caused harm to another.

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