Medical Negligence Myths Victims May Need Corrected
Seeking treatment for disease or injury can be one of the more vulnerable times a person can go through as they will be completely reliant on the healthcare professionals that provide them with treatment. Negligence on the part of these professionals can have devastating consequences for the patient, but many victims of this type of negligence may not be accurately informed about the types of steps they can take to protect their rights.
Myth: Medical Negligence Must Result In Death To Be Pursued In Court
Death can be the most serious side effect of negligent medical care. However, death does not have to result in order for one of these lawsuits to be pursued. In most instances, it is only necessary for the patient to suffer direct injuries or other damages as a result of the negligence.
Myth: A Doctor's Support Staff Are Shielded From Negligence Claims
The doctor will be assisted by many other professionals as they provide care to their patients. These professionals can range from nurses to office staff members. Unfortunately, negligence is not confined to the doctor as it is possible for any of the medical staff members to be negligent when administering care. For this reason, it will often be necessary to determine exactly who is responsible for the negligent actions that caused the injuries. This may require some research and investigation on the part of the attorneys, but it will be possible to request the medical records, internal logs and other documents to determine this information.
Myth: The Same Medical Facility Will Treat Injuries Suffered By The Negligence
After suffering injuries as a result of medical negligence, some victims might assume that they will need to let the same medical facility treat these injuries. However, this is not the case as it is recognized the conflicts and unease that this situation could pose. Furthermore, it is advisable to seek secondary opinions so that the full extent of the injuries and damages can be diagnosed.
Myth: These Damages Can Not Include Known Side-Effects
Many medical treatments and procedures will have a set of potential complications or side-effects that could occur. Individuals assume that these common side-effects will never be able to be pursued in negligence cases. However, it is the responsibility of the doctor to make sure that their patients are informed about the potentialities before they consent to the procedure. If this responsibility is not met, it may qualify as negligence on the part of the doctor. This is particularly true when it concerns extremely serious side-effects.
Contact a medical negligence attorney for more help.
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