Good Fences And Not So Good Neighbors: Property Law 101

Three Situations That May Indicate Malpractice

20 July 2015 by Hunter Moore

Everyone has heard of malpractice lawsuits for negligence on the part of a doctor, hospital or medical staff, but the problem is knowing when this has happened to you or a loved one. Unless you went to medical school, you may not know what qualifies as negligence. However, an attorney with experience in the filed of malpractice can help you understand whether or not you have a case. The following are three situations in which you should consult with an attorney, like those at Bennett & Zydron PC, about your treatment.

You have been misdiagnosed

Not every case of misdiagnosis is considered to be malpractice. A doctor can give the wrong diagnosis, but given the data he or she was looking at, it was a logical conclusion at the time. However, if you were misdiagnosed and this has led to a worsening of your health condition, then you need to consult with an attorney. Your health may be worse due to the wrong treatment, or perhaps your health is worse because proper treatment was delayed by the wrong diagnosis. In either case, an attorney will be able to provide you with information about how good of a case you may have.

Complications after surgery

Although there are many conditions that can develop after a patient has surgery, there are also many developments that are unusual. Before having surgery, you may have read about what to expect and may have spoken to friends or relatives that have had the same surgery. Certainly, your doctor will have told you what to expect during your recovery. But when you suffer from anything that you were never told would happen, it is a red flag, and if this has had an adverse effect on your health, you should get the advice of a malpractice attorney.

A doctor or nurse admits a mistake was made

Although it is rare, occasionally someone on a medical staff will admit that a mistake was made. You should keep in mind that even in a situation where a mistake was admitted to, it may not rise to the level of malpractice. However, if the mistake has led to your health being impaired, you should consult with an attorney. Just because there has been an admission of guilt does not mean that financial responsibility for that mistake goes away. Again, it is a malpractice attorney that can give you the best information about your situation.

Always remember that you cannot depend upon other medical staff at a doctor's office or hospital to assist you in determining whether malpractice has occurred. Neither can you depend upon doctors that are not directly involved in your health care, such as those working at another medical facility. Doctors are hesitant to challenge their peers. Any questions you have should always be run past a malpractice attorney.

Share

Search