Medical Malpractice Representation in Washtenaw County, MI

When you entrust your health to a doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider, you expect competent care. When that trust is betrayed by negligence—whether a surgical error, delayed cancer diagnosis, birth injury, or medication mistake—the consequences can alter your life forever. At Logeman & Iafrate, P.C., our Washtenaw County medical malpractice attorneys understand what you're facing: mounting medical bills to fix preventable harm, lost income during extended recovery, and the emotional toll of knowing your suffering was avoidable.

For more than 45 years, we've represented victims of medical negligence throughout Washtenaw County and Michigan. We take cases other firms turn down and prepare every case for trial. Medical malpractice claims require extensive investigation, expert medical testimony, and trial-ready representation against well-funded hospital systems and insurance companies. We've built our reputation by holding negligent healthcare providers accountable and securing the compensation our clients need to rebuild their lives.

What Qualifies as Medical Malpractice in Michigan?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider's negligence causes injury to a patient. Under Michigan law, you must prove four elements:

• Duty: A doctor-patient relationship existed, establishing the provider's obligation to meet professional standards
• Breach: The provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care that a reasonably competent professional would have provided under similar circumstances
• Causation: The breach directly caused your injury—not merely a poor outcome from proper care
• Damages: You suffered measurable harm including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or permanent impairment

Medical malpractice is not simply a bad result or an unsuccessful treatment. Doctors aren't expected to be perfect, but they are required to provide care that meets accepted medical standards. When they fall short and patients suffer preventable harm, they must be held accountable.

Common Types of Medical Malpractice We Handle

Medical negligence takes many forms. Our Washtenaw County attorneys have extensive experience with:

Surgical Errors

Surgery carries inherent risks, but operating on the wrong body part, leaving instruments inside patients, damaging nerves or organs during routine procedures, and anesthesia mistakes are never acceptable. These errors often result in additional surgeries, infections, permanent impairment, or death.

Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis

When doctors fail to correctly diagnose cancer, heart attacks, strokes, infections, or other serious conditions—or delay diagnosis by ordering wrong tests or dismissing symptoms—patients lose critical treatment windows. Early intervention saves lives. Diagnostic failures steal that opportunity.

Birth Injuries

Negligent prenatal care, failure to monitor fetal distress, improper use of delivery instruments, and delayed cesarean sections can cause cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy, brain damage, and other devastating injuries to newborns. Mothers also suffer harm from uncontrolled hemorrhaging, untreated infections, and surgical mistakes during delivery.

Medication Errors

Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage, failing to account for dangerous drug interactions, pharmacy dispensing errors, and hospital administration mistakes cause severe reactions, organ damage, and wrongful death. These preventable errors harm thousands of patients annually.

Hospital Negligence

Understaffing, inadequate nurse training, failure to prevent infections, improper patient monitoring, and discharge errors create dangerous conditions. Hospitals bear responsibility not just for their own policies but for the negligence of physicians and staff working within their facilities.

Emergency Room Errors

ER doctors and nurses must rapidly assess and stabilize patients. Failure to recognize heart attacks, strokes, internal bleeding, or other emergencies—or discharging patients prematurely—causes preventable deterioration and death.

Michigan's Medical Malpractice Laws You Need to Know

Michigan imposes specific requirements and limitations on medical malpractice claims. Understanding these rules is critical to protecting your rights.

Notice of Intent Requirement

Before filing a lawsuit, you must serve the healthcare provider with a Notice of Intent (NOI) at least 182 days before filing suit. The NOI must identify the applicable standard of care, how it was breached, the injuries caused, and include an Affidavit of Merit from a qualified medical expert.

Statute of Limitations

Medical malpractice lawsuits must generally be filed within two years of when the malpractice occurred—or within six months of discovering the injury, whichever is later. However, the discovery rule cannot extend the filing deadline beyond six years from the date of malpractice. There is an important exception for minors: children under eight have until their eighth birthday to file.

Standard of Care and Expert Testimony

Proving malpractice requires expert testimony from a qualified physician who practices in the same specialty or a related field. The expert must be familiar with the standard of care and be able to testify that the defendant's conduct fell below that standard. These cases cannot proceed without credible medical experts willing to testify.

Damage Caps

Michigan caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering) in medical malpractice cases. For 2025, the standard cap is approximately $569,000, adjusted annually for inflation. A higher cap of approximately $1,047,000 applies when the malpractice caused death, loss of a vital body function, or permanent impairment preventing the patient from being independently able to care for themselves and perform life-sustaining activities. Economic damages—medical expenses and lost wages—are not capped.

Compensation Available in Washtenaw County Medical Malpractice Cases

When medical negligence causes serious harm, you're entitled to full compensation for all resulting damages:

• Medical expenses: Past and future costs to treat injuries caused by malpractice, including corrective surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, medical equipment, and ongoing care needs
• Lost wages and earning capacity: Income lost during recovery and reduced earning potential if injuries prevent you from returning to your former occupation
• Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and psychological trauma from the malpractice and resulting injuries
• Disability and disfigurement: Compensation for permanent impairments, scarring, loss of bodily functions, and reduced quality of life
• Loss of consortium: Damages to spouses for lost companionship, support, and intimacy when malpractice permanently alters family relationships

Calculating these damages requires working with medical experts, life care planners, vocational specialists, and economists who can document the full impact of malpractice on your life and project future costs.

Why Medical Malpractice Cases Require Specialized Experience

Medical malpractice claims are among the most complex personal injury cases. Healthcare providers and their insurers defend these claims thoroughly, employing experienced attorneys and their own medical experts to challenge every aspect of your case.

Successful medical malpractice representation requires:

• Thorough investigation: Obtaining and analyzing complete medical records, consulting with medical experts, and identifying all instances of substandard care
• Qualified expert witnesses: Securing credible physicians willing to testify that the defendant breached the standard of care and caused your injuries
• Understanding complex medicine: Comprehending medical terminology, procedures, and standards well enough to educate jurors and cross-examine defense experts
• Trial preparation: Building a case strong enough that defendants know you're prepared to go to trial—not just settle for less than full value
• Resources to fight well-funded opponents: Medical malpractice cases require significant investment in expert fees, depositions, and litigation costs

At Logeman & Iafrate, P.C., we have the experience, resources, and determination to take on hospitals, insurance companies, and medical professionals who refuse to accept responsibility. Insurance companies know we prepare every case for trial—and that knowledge often leads to better settlement offers. When it doesn't, we're ready to present your case to a Washtenaw County jury.

Serving Washtenaw County Communities

We represent medical malpractice victims throughout Washtenaw County, including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, and Manchester. Whether your injury occurred at Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan Health System), Trinity Health Ann Arbor, Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital, or another Washtenaw County healthcare facility—or involved a private physician or specialist—we're here to fight for your rights.

We Take Cases on a Contingency-Fee Basis

Medical malpractice cases require significant time and financial investment, including expert fees that can total tens of thousands of dollars. We handle these cases on a contingency-fee basis: you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all costs and only collect our fee from your settlement or verdict. If we don't win, you owe us nothing.

This approach ensures that everyone—regardless of financial resources—has access to experienced legal representation when facing well-funded healthcare providers and insurance companies.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is decided on its own facts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Malpractice in Washtenaw County

How do I know if I have a valid medical malpractice case?

You may have a case if a healthcare provider's negligence caused you harm. This requires proving the provider breached the accepted standard of care and that breach directly caused injuries requiring treatment, resulting in lost wages, or causing pain and suffering. Not every bad medical outcome is malpractice—complications can occur even with proper care. However, if your injury was preventable and resulted from substandard treatment, you should consult an experienced attorney immediately.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Michigan?

Medical malpractice lawsuits must generally be filed within two years of when the malpractice occurred, or within six months of discovering the injury, whichever is later. However, the discovery rule cannot extend the deadline beyond six years from the date of malpractice. For children under eight, claims can be filed until their eighth birthday. Before filing suit, you must serve a Notice of Intent at least 182 days in advance. These deadlines are strict—consult an attorney promptly to protect your rights.

What is a Notice of Intent and why is it required?

Michigan law requires you to notify healthcare providers of your intent to sue at least 182 days before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. The Notice of Intent must identify the standard of care, explain how it was breached, describe the injuries caused, and include an Affidavit of Merit from a qualified medical expert. This requirement gives providers an opportunity to review claims and potentially settle before litigation. Failing to properly serve the NOI can delay or bar your case.

How much is my medical malpractice case worth?

Case value depends on the severity of your injuries, the cost of past and future medical treatment, lost wages and earning capacity, the degree of pain and suffering, and whether injuries are permanent. Michigan caps non-economic damages at approximately $569,000 for 2025 in standard cases, with a higher cap of approximately $1,047,000 when malpractice caused death or permanent loss of vital functions. Economic damages are not capped. Our attorneys work with experts to calculate the full value of your claim.

Do I need a medical expert to prove my malpractice case?

Yes. Michigan law requires expert testimony from a qualified physician who practices in the same specialty or related field to establish the applicable standard of care, prove the defendant breached that standard, and show the breach caused your injuries. Without credible expert testimony, your case cannot proceed. Securing qualified experts willing to testify against fellow physicians is one of the most challenging aspects of medical malpractice litigation—and a reason why experienced legal representation is essential.

Can I sue a hospital for a doctor's mistakes?

It depends on the doctor's relationship with the hospital. Hospitals can be held directly liable for their own negligence in hiring, credentialing, supervising physicians, or maintaining safe conditions. They may also be vicariously liable for negligence by employed physicians or staff. However, hospitals generally aren't liable for independent contractors with staff privileges. Our attorneys investigate all potential defendants to ensure everyone responsible for your injuries is held accountable.

What if my loved one died due to medical malpractice?

When medical negligence causes death, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim through the deceased's estate. These claims seek compensation for medical expenses before death, funeral and burial costs, the deceased's pain and suffering before death, and the family's loss of financial support and companionship. Wrongful death cases are subject to the same Notice of Intent requirement and statute of limitations as other medical malpractice claims.

How long does a medical malpractice case take?

Medical malpractice cases typically take 18 months to several years to resolve. After serving the Notice of Intent, there's a mandatory 182-day waiting period. Once the lawsuit is filed, the discovery process involves obtaining records, deposing witnesses, and consulting experts—all of which takes time. Many cases settle before trial, but if your case goes to trial, additional time is required. We work efficiently while ensuring your case is thoroughly prepared for the best possible outcome.