Parsippany, NJ personal injury attorney Christopher Masmunno talks about how to know if a bad outcome is a normal risk of a procedure or medical malpractice. He explains that a medical malpractice claim requires proof that a physician failed to meet the accepted standard of care by acting in a way that a reasonably competent doctor would not under similar circumstances. He notes that cases involving licensed professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and architects, generally require an affidavit of merit from a qualified expert in the same field who can confirm that the professional’s conduct fell below the appropriate standard. As an example, he describes a situation in which a patient suffers a broken femur and broken foot bones, explaining that proper treatment requires addressing the femur first. If a physician treats the foot before stabilizing the femur, that decision could be considered a departure from the accepted standard of care because a reasonably prudent orthopedic specialist would not proceed in that manner.