Medical professionals are the people that you should trust the most, as you put your life in their hands every time you are unwell. You expect them to give you their best and provide you with the best care until you are back on your feet. However, doctors and nurses are human beings who sometimes make mistakes. As a matter of fact, medical errors are one of the leading causes of death in many countries. Moreover, sometimes these mistakes can result in injuries that can ruin your life. If you or someone you know are a victim of medical malpractice, you should know that you have legal rights, and you deserve to be compensated. So, keep reading for signs that you are dealing with medical malpractice.
1. Death
Sometimes patients die as a result of mistreatment or negligence of a medical professional. For instance, a doctor may prescribe a patient the wrong medication, perform wrong or unnecessary surgery, or ignore a patient’s needs. If you suspect that a family member or a loved one has died as a result of malpractice, you should consult a lawyer immediately. That being said, you should know that sometimes patients die because they were very sick, and there was nothing that the doctors could have done.
2. Surgical Errors
There are always risks with surgeries. However, some of these risks can easily be avoided. Some errors occur due to negligence like when the medical professional fails to properly sterilize tools, performs the wrong surgery, or if the patient suffers injuries due to negligence. If you think that you are a victim of surgical errors then, according to the specialized lawyers at https://www.blg-dc.com, you have the right to be financially compensated for the physical, emotional, and financial damages that you have suffered. Surgery isn’t something that should be taken lightly, and it should make you feel better, not worse. Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact a lawyer because the negligent party should be held responsible.
3. Wrong Diagnosis
In some cases, a doctor fails to provide the patient with the correct diagnosis. This means that they won’t receive the medical treatment they require which can result in the patient getting worse or dying. When you go for a check-up, you hope that the doctor can identify the problem so they can take the necessary action. When the doctor fails to do that or misdiagnoses you then this is considered malpractice and you have to take legal action. However, this may be a difficult case because you need proof that the doctor gave you a wrong diagnosis, and that any other doctor could have easily diagnosed you properly. This is why you need a specialized attorney to advise you on the necessary steps that you need to take.
4. Poor Care
It is the responsibility of a hospital to provide you with the best care. However, sometimes they fail to do that due to understaffing, overworked staff, drug usage by staff members, having a stressful environment, or poor management. These can all lead to poor treatment of patients and errors that can be fatal. Poor care by staff is another example of medical malpractice which requires you to take action.
5. Lack of Informed Consent
Before any surgery, the hospital is required to provide you with a form that you should sign that states that you understand the risks of the surgery. Moreover, the doctor should also explain the surgery to you so you can understand the risks, and answer all of your questions as well. However, if the doctor and the hospital fail to do this before your surgery, this is called lack of informed consent and is considered malpractice. You will need to prove that you weren’t given the necessary information and didn’t understand the risks of the surgery.
6. New Symptoms
If new symptoms arise after you receive medical treatment, then you have a case of medical malpractice. These symptoms can be the result of negligence or wrong treatment. However, this can be a difficult thing to prove because some symptoms may have nothing to do with the surgery or treatment that you have received. In this situation, you will need to keep track of all your symptoms so you can help your lawyer build a case.
There is nothing more important than your health, and you expect the medical professionals that you are dealing with to understand that. However, negligence happens in any profession, but in this particular profession, it can have serious and even fatal consequences. This is why you shouldn’t hesitate at all to consult a lawyer because you have rights, and you should be compensated. Moreover, you want the responsible party to be punished so that what happened to you doesn’t happen to anyone else.