No medical procedure is risk-free. There is always a chance of something going wrong, even if the medical professionals involved do everything right.
However, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals can make mistakes. They can act carelessly or negligently. When they deviate from the accepted standard of care, the results can be serious. Medical malpractice can lead to pain and suffering. It can mean a missed opportunity for treatment. It can take years off a life or even end one.
Signs Of Medical Malpractice
When faced with a bad outcome after a medical procedure, it can be challenging to determine whether it was the result of the procedure’s inherent risks or it was medical negligence. Look for any of the signs below.
Your questions are not being answered. Are you having difficulty getting clear answers to your questions? Are your calls being ignored?
You have not been given copies of your medical records. Have your requests for complete medical records been denied or ignored?
Your medical records are incomplete or have been tampered with. Is something missing? An X-ray or other test results? Details from a certain appointment? Do dates or details not match up? Does something look not quite right?
You have been given contradictory information. Has your doctor told you one thing, while hospital administration has given you a different story? Does what a nurse told you not match up to what someone else said?
You have been told by another doctor that something is wrong. Did you go to see another doctor for a second opinion who told you that your case merits further inspection?
Keep in mind that medical malpractice can come from many sources, not just your doctor. Anyone involved in your diagnosis or treatment could have been negligent, from nurses to lab technicians to hospital staff. Furthermore, keep in mind that there must have been some sort of harm caused in order to move forward with a claim.
You Do Not Have To Figure This Out On Your Own
Determining whether medical negligence took place is no simple task. If you have encountered any of the above signs or have any other reason to believe that you were a victim of medical negligence, you may want to discuss your case with an attorney experienced in these matters. An attorney will review your case for free, conduct an investigation if appropriate and determine how to proceed.