Seattle Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Why Families Trust Bishop Legal

Medical malpractice cases demand more than standard personal injury experience. They require legal, medical, and strategic depth. At Bishop Legal, clients benefit from:

• Appellate-Level Advocacy that has shaped Washington injury law.
• Access to Leading Medical Experts for record review and testimony.
• Former Insurance Insight guiding negotiation and case valuation.
• Experience With Complex Hospital Liability, not just individual physicians.
• Support for Spanish-Speaking Families through bilingual staff and resources.
• A Litigation Strategy Built for Serious Cases, not quick settlements.

Meet Our Founder: Raymond Bishop

Raymond Bishop built Bishop Legal with a single mission: protect injured people when powerful institutions fail to do so. For more than three decades, he has led the firm in complex litigation against contractors, corporations, and government entities, including victories before the Washington Supreme Court that strengthened legal protections statewide.

Under his leadership, Bishop Legal has become known for:

• Taking on high-stakes, aggressively defended cases
• Long-term litigation commitment when justice requires it
• A client-first approach centered on communication and dignity
• Dedicated service to immigrant and Spanish-speaking communities

Learn more about our team.

Understanding Medical Malpractice in Washington

Not every poor medical outcome is malpractice. Under Washington law, a medical provider is liable only when they fail to meet the accepted standard of care and that failure causes preventable harm.

Medical malpractice can involve:

• An error in diagnosis, treatment, or aftercare
• The failure to recognize and act on concerning symptoms
• A breakdown in hospital systems, communication, or staffing
• A delay that allows a condition to worsen

Because these cases require medical proof, not assumptions, Bishop Legal works with leading experts to determine whether the provider’s conduct violated the standard of care and directly caused the injury.

When Patients May Have a Medical Malpractice Case

A case may exist when a preventable medical error results in a significant injury, permanent impairment, or death. Common scenarios include:

• Delayed or Missed Diagnosis of conditions such as cancer, stroke, sepsis, or heart attack
• Surgical or Procedural Errors, including perforations, retained objects, or anesthesia mistakes
• Medication Errors, such as incorrect dosage, contraindicated drugs, or failure to monitor reactions
• Birth Injuries, including oxygen deprivation, delayed C-section, and preventable brachial plexus injuries
• Emergency Room Negligence, including failure to triage or delayed treatment of life-threatening conditions
• Failure to Obtain Informed Consent, especially when serious risks were not disclosed

Patients often learn something went wrong only after complications arise. Our attorneys help families piece together what happened and whether it was preventable.

Hospital and System-Level Liability

Medical malpractice is not always about a single doctor. Hospitals and healthcare systems may be liable for:

• Unsafe policies or inadequate protocols
• Understaffing or lack of supervision
• Failures in communication between departments
• Negligent credentialing or failure to remove unsafe providers
• Defective or poorly maintained medical equipment

These institutional failures are often the root cause of catastrophic injuries, and they require a firm with experience taking on well-resourced defendants—not just individual practitioners.

How Medical Malpractice Is Proven

Washington law requires plaintiffs to prove:

1. Standard of care — what a reasonably prudent provider would have done
2. Breach — how the provider failed to meet that standard
3. Causation — that the error directly caused the injury
4. Damages — the measurable harm that resulted

Expert testimony is almost always required. Bishop Legal works with specialists in the relevant field to review records, explain what should have happened, and provide the medical foundation needed to move a case forward.

Washington’s Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice

Most medical malpractice lawsuits in Washington must be filed:

• Within three years of the date of the negligent act, or
• Within one year of when the patient discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the malpractice (whichever occurs first), under RCW 4.16.350.

Additional rules to know:

• Washington has an eight-year statute of repose, meaning no claim can be filed more than eight years after the act, except in rare foreign-object cases.
• Wrongful death and cases involving minors may follow different timelines.
• Missing a deadline permanently bars the claim.

Because medical errors are often discovered late, patients should speak with an attorney as soon as they suspect something went wrong.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered?

In a successful medical malpractice claim, damages may include:

• Medical and rehabilitation costs
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Lifelong care needs in catastrophic injury cases
• Wrongful death damages for surviving family members

Washington does not cap non-economic damages. We work with medical, vocational, and economic experts to project long-term needs and pursue the full value of the claim.

Medical Malpractice FAQ