Attorneys are typically flexible and make certain compromises because for the interest of their clients. Consulting a licensed malpractice attorney is the first step to get many of initial concerns addressed.
Malpractice attorneys in good faith will help you determine if you have a valid case. Because medical malpractice lawsuits and malpractice cases take a lot of time and effort to process, having a well prepared case is important as you don't want your case to be delayed by a simple mistake. Get all your facts and paper work in one place and gather the notes and questions you might have for the attorney taking care of your case. Become familiar with some of the common type of malpractice cases.
Negligent Medical Treatment
You may be the victim of a misdiagnosis if you have been getting bad treatment, but it is not working or improving your health condition. Bad treatment is not hard to miss. In such a case, you are at the risk of developing other diseases as a result of delayed diagnosis. Moreover, if you are taking medication for a problem that you don’t have, it can have harmful side effects on your body, causing additional injuries.
Erroneous Medical Diagnosis
Like medical practitioners and hospitals, labs can also make mistakes. You should be wary of lab test results, especially when you don’t exhibit symptoms that are associated with a diagnosed disease. Mostly, doctors base their judgments on these lab results and don’t question their accuracy, which leads to misdiagnosis. If you think that there is a discrepancy in the results, you should get the same tests done from a different lab. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious disease, it is advisable that you seek a second opinion. In case both the opinions differ completely, you should take a third opinion to determine which one is the right diagnosis. This also shows that the doctor who misdiagnosed your condition was not diligent in your care, and if you suffered in any way due to their negligence, you may consider it as a sign of malpractice.
Lack of Informed Consent
If the diagnosis indicates that you require a surgery, it is mandatory that you sign a form stating that you understand the consequences and provide your consent to go ahead. Before signing the consent form, it is your surgeon’s duty to provide you complete information of the risks of the surgery and answer any question that you may have. If a surgeon performs the surgery without informing you about the risks, it is considered as lack of informed consent. After the surgery, if you face any complication that was a defined risk of the surgical procedure, you can file a medical practice claim against the doctor.
Preparing Your Case
A level of transparency helps build a relation between the client and the attorney at all situations. To win a legitimate case the client and the lawyer must work together to build up a bullet proof case. Contact a malpractice attorney in your area to start the legal process.