When someone receives medical attention from a professional, they are trusting
that their doctor, nurse, or other will give them the utmost care and
attention they deserve. In fact, part of the reason that medical professionals
attend so many years of schooling and remain educated on recent updates
in the medical field is because of this standard to provide a high level
of medical care. When the treatment received by a patient falls below
the acceptable measure of standard practice and they suffer an injury,
the doctor is considered to be medically negligent.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical negligence opens up the field for
medical malpractice lawsuits, which hold doctors responsible for their actions. It is estimated
that between 15,000 and 19,000 medical malpractice lawsuits are brought
against doctors in the United States every year, and medical malpractice
is considered to be one of the leading causes of preventable death.
In order to prove medical malpractice against a medical professional, it
must be shown that:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed with the medical professional that
is being sued;
- The doctor’s actions were negligent in ways that would not have been
if performed by another doctor under comparable circumstances;
- The harm and injury caused to the patient is a result of the negligence
of the medical professional; and
- Physical pain, medical bills, mental anguish, and lost employment were
the result of this injury.
There are many ways that a doctor can be proven negligent in a medical
malpractice claim. Some of the most common ways that medical professionals
do not abide by the standard of care that is expected is when they
fail to diagnose, improperly treat a patient, or do not inform a patient of the risks and
cautions involved in their treatment. All of these are important. Not
only does a patient seeking medical care have the right to access the
best possible course of action, but they should know the possible effects
of undergoing such treatment. When a doctor fails to provide this basic
care, they are considered negligent in their medical care.
When someone visits a medical professional for any reason, they deserve
the best possible care. Doctors should not be able to take advantage of
the vulnerability of those needing care in order to neglect performing
their duties. When you or a loved one have been injured as a result of
the actions of a medical professional, you need an attorney that will
go to bat for you.
With 20 years of experience fighting for justice, The
Law Offices of Patrick L. Block, P.C. dedicate their lives to medical malpractice victims, and may be able to
take on your case-
call for more information today!