Indiana Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Last updated on November 5, 2025
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider or staff member injures a patient when departing from the standard or expected care.
Patients trust members of the medical community, such as doctors, nurses and therapists, entrusting them to help cure all types of ailments. Unfortunately, the very medical professionals called to provide proper care ultimately cause more suffering than improved health.
If you believe that you suffered injuries due to medical malpractice, contact Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP right away to file a claim!
Identifying Medical Malpractice Claims
There are certain standards of care that every health care provider must follow. When trying to prove the worthiness of your claim, our Indiana medical malpractice lawyers will need to identify where the medical professional failed to fulfill their expected job duties or acted without reasonable care.
These are a few typical medical malpractice examples:
- Pharmaceutical errors: Prescribing the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or failing to check for drug interactions can cause severe reactions. A pharmacist at a CVS in Carmel dispensing 10 times the prescribed dose of blood thinners has led to life-threatening bleeding.
- Birth injuries: Negligence during labor and delivery can cause cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
- Improper diagnosis or failing to diagnosis: For example, missing a heart attack in the ER or failing to order a biopsy for suspicious lung nodules can allow conditions to worsen.
- Hospital infections: Poor sterilization or failure to follow protocols leads to MRSA, sepsis, or C. diff and other deadly infections.
- Emergency room or surgical errors: Overcrowded ERs sometimes discharge patients with internal bleeding or fractures. Triage errors and premature discharge are common claims.
- Delayed diagnosis or treatment of cancer: Failing to follow up on abnormal mammograms or misreading pathology reports allows cancer to metastasize. Every month of delay reduces survival rates.
- Surgical errors: Operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical tools inside patients, or damaging nearby organs are “never events.
Indiana’s statute of limitations will only allow you to file within two years of the incident. Otherwise, the courts will dismiss your case before you even have a chance to present it to a judge and jury. By enlisting the support of our Indianapolis medical malpractice attorneys, you can find comfort knowing that we will stay abreast of all the deadlines and prepare important materials on your behalf to ensure your case is ready to go to trial if necessary.
Elements of a Medical Malpractice Claim in Indiana
To succeed in a medical malpractice lawsuit in Indiana, you must prove four essential elements. Our Indianapolis medical malpractice attorneys at Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP guide clients through each step with precision and experience.
- Duty of Care: A legal duty exists the moment a healthcare provider agrees to treat you. This includes doctors, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, and hospitals. For example, when you visit a physician at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, they owe you a professional standard of care.
- Breach of Duty: You must show the provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care. This happens when a competent professional in the same field would have acted differently under similar circumstances. A surgeon leaving a foreign object inside a patient during an operation at St. Vincent Hospital is a clear breach.
- Causation: The breach must directly cause your injury. Our attorneys work with medical experts to connect the provider’s negligence to your harm. For instance, a delayed diagnosis of breast cancer at Community Hospital North must be proven as the reason the cancer spread.
- Damages: You must suffer actual harm – physical, emotional, or financial. This includes medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and long-term disability. Without damages, even clear negligence does not create a valid claim.
Proving these elements requires medical records, expert testimony, and thorough investigation. Contact us for a free case review to determine if you have a viable claim.
Why Hire an Indianapolis Medical Malpractice Attorney?
Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex in personal injury law. Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between a denied claim and full compensation.
- Proven experience since 1899: Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP has represented injured Hoosiers for over 125 years. Our attorneys have successfully argued cases before Indiana medical review panels and in courtrooms across the state.
- AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell: This peer-reviewed distinction reflects the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards. Fewer than 10% of attorneys nationwide earn this honor.
- Recognized as Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report: Our consistent results and client advocacy have earned national recognition year after year.
- No Recovery, No Fee Guarantee: You pay nothing unless we win your case. This allows injured patients to seek justice without financial risk.
- Access to Top Medical Experts: We partner with board-certified physicians, nurses, and life-care planners to build ironclad cases. These experts testify to breaches in the standard of care that general practitioners cannot.
- Local Knowledge of Indianapolis Courts and Hospitals: We know the judges, defense firms, and medical networks in Marion County and beyond. This insight helps us anticipate strategies and negotiate from strength.
Do not trust your case to a general personal injury firm. Contact our Indianapolis medical malpractice team today for a free, confidential consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Medical Malpractice in Indiana
Q: What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Indiana?
A: You have two years from the date of the malpractice—or from when you discovered (or should have discovered) the injury—to file a claim. Exceptions exist for minors and cases involving foreign objects.
Q: How much does it cost to hire a medical malpractice lawyer?
A: Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis—you only pay if we recover compensation for you.
Q: Can I sue a hospital for medical negligence in Indianapolis?
A: Yes. Hospitals can be liable for negligent staff, faulty equipment, or failure to supervise. This includes IU Health, Community Health Network, and Ascension St. Vincent.
Q: What is a medical review panel, and do I need one?
A: Indiana requires most claims to be reviewed by a panel of three healthcare providers and one attorney before suing. The panel’s opinion is advisory, not binding. We handle the entire process for you.
Q: What if the malpractice caused a wrongful death?
A: Surviving family members can file a wrongful death claim. Compensation covers funeral costs, lost income, and loss of companionship. The deadline is still two years.
Q: How long do medical malpractice cases take?
A: From 18 months to 3 years, depending on complexity and whether the case settles or goes to trial. The medical review panel alone takes 6–12 months.
Q: What damages can I recover?
A: Economic damages (bills, lost wages), non-economic damages (pain and suffering), and rarely punitive damages. Indiana caps total recovery at $1.8 million (adjusted annually for inflation).
Q: Do I need an attorney to request my medical records?
A: No, but having legal representation ensures you receive complete, unaltered records and prevents waivers of your rights.
Have more questions? Call us. Our Indiana medical malpractice attorneys are here to help.
There Is No Time To Waste – Call 317-505-1342!
When it comes to medical malpractice cases, you must act quickly. Medical malpractice claims can be lengthy and expensive, but our firm’s personal injury attorneys have 75 years of collective experience and a familiarity with the courts are invaluable resources when pursuing your claim. We have successfully represented plaintiffs before medical review panels, and in courts.
Our attorneys at Parr Richey Frandsen Patterson Kruse LLP handle all cases with the highest ethical standards, giving us a sterling reputation that goes back to the firm’s founding in 1899. Our lawyers have been acknowledged through Martindale-Hubbell with an AV* rating and voted Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers from U.S. News & World Report, which boasts their prowess as preeminent lawyers of their practice.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, allow our firm to help. Please call 317-505-1342 or contact our office online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories — legal ability and general ethical standards.