Chatham County patients receive care from major regional systems, including Memorial Health and St. Joseph’s/Candler, along with the surgical centers, physician groups, and specialty practices operating around them. When something goes wrong, the defendant is rarely one doctor acting alone. It is an institution with a risk management team, a records department, and a defense firm that has handled these cases in Chatham County many times before.
Our Savannah office, led by Dustin Hamilton, serves injured people throughout Chatham County and the communities near the Talmadge Memorial Bridge, the Historic District, and the Port of Savannah.
What a Chatham County malpractice case requires
Georgia does not let a malpractice case begin on suspicion. A suit must be filed together with an expert affidavit identifying at least one negligent act and explaining why it fell below the standard of care, which means the medical review has to happen before the complaint is drafted. We obtain the complete chart, including nursing notes, medication administration records, and imaging, and have it reviewed by a specialist in the same field. Most cases that fail do so because that groundwork was rushed, not because the underlying care was defensible.
Where a Chatham County case is handled
Chatham County malpractice suits are filed in State or Superior Court and move more slowly than other injury cases because of the expert work on both sides. Georgia’s deadline for medical malpractice is generally two years from the injury or death, with an outside limit of five years from the negligent act, and separate rules apply to children and to foreign objects left in the body. Those deadlines are strict and the review takes time, so early contact matters more here than in almost any other case type.
This page covers medical malpractice claims specific to Savannah. For how these cases work generally, including how fault and damages are proven, read our full guide tomedical malpractice attorneys in Georgia.
Savannah questions we are asked most
A bad outcome happened. Is that malpractice?
Not by itself. Georgia requires proof that a provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that the failure caused the harm. Serious complications occur even with excellent treatment. The only reliable way to tell the difference is a specialist review of the complete medical record, which is where we start.
Can I bring a claim against the hospital, or only the doctor?
It depends on the employment relationship. Hospitals are responsible for their employees, including nursing and technical staff, but many physicians practice as independent contractors carrying their own coverage. Establishing exactly who employed whom is part of the early investigation, because it determines which policies are available.
Do you have an office in Savannah?
Yes. Our Savannah office is at 300 Bull Street, Suite 201, Savannah, GA 31401. Call (912) 200-2727 for a free consultation, or use the form on this page and an attorney will follow up.
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