Doctors are human and are prone to making mistakes. The only difference is that when a doctor makes a mistake, you may suffer as a result of it. Here are some of the ways that you can identify if you’ve been a victim of medical negligence.
Prescribed Conflicting Medications
Medications are supposed to make you feel better or at least get your condition under control. In some instances, medications can do more harm than good. For example, doctors will often prescribe multiple medications in order to counteract the side effects of one or more of the drugs in question. Some of these medications may actually work against one another and could be causing your body more harm. Carefully read the side effects of all of your medications so that you can ask questions about them.
Failure to Obtain Consent
A doctor has to obtain your consent, or that of a family member’s, before treatment can be given. If your doctor failed to get your consent, this could be grounds for a malpractice suit. There are instances in which a two-doctor system can be used if consent can’t be obtained in a timely fashion in order to save your life. Speak with a law firm to determine if you have a case for medical negligence if you feel as though your consent wasn’t obtained or you weren’t properly informed about the possible complications.
Unnecessary Pain
Pain is sometimes a part of surgery or other types of treatments. This pain should be relatively short-lived and will improve the quality of your life. If the pain that you’re experiencing following medical treatment doesn’t seem to end, there may be a problem with the type of treatment that you received. You may need to return to your doctor or seek a second opinion so that you aren’t in unnecessary pain for the rest of your life.
Obvious Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis can occur from time to time. This could be because you failed to provide your doctor with all of the pertinent information regarding your condition. Another problem could be that your doctor failed to diagnosis you properly or to order the correct types of tests. Medicine is a science, but it is still prone to errors. Educate yourself so that you can protect yourself from obvious misdiagnosis issues.
Malpractice insurance exists because medical errors and negligence do occur from time to time. Consider these items if you’re wondering if you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice.
Author Info: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @RachelleWilber.
