Medical errors are considered to be the third leading cause of death in America, and medical malpractice is incredibly common, but it’s not always easy to understand or deal with.
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What To Do If You’ve Been Affected By Medical Malpractice: Our Guide
When you experience medical malpractice or negligence, you need to be proactive, as every moment counts and you need to make informed decisions.
Still, it can be daunting to deal with medical malpractice, particularly if you’re not sure if you’ve experienced it or how to handle the situation.
Medical errors are considered to be the third leading cause of death in America, and medical malpractice is incredibly common, but it’s not always easy to understand or deal with.
These cases can cost the healthcare system anywhere between $50 to over $150 dollars annually, and they can financially impact those who are fighting the cases as well.
Thankfully, if your case is successful, then you can get compensation to help you repay any costs, but this can take time to arrive. Also, money doesn’t make up for the inconvenience and stress that your family has gone through.
Whether it happens to you directly or to a member of your family, medical malpractice can have a profound effect on your life.
To help you reduce your stress and find practical ways to deal with a potential medical malpractice issue, we’ve put together this ultimate guide.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is defined as an incident where a medical professional or healthcare provider commits an error of judgment that causes discomfort, disability, or even death to a patient.
That might include instances where professionals make an incorrect diagnosis based on limited facts without investigating symptoms properly.
Where pharmaceutical manufacturers do not disclose certain side effects of their products or if a team of healthcare providers conducts a poor procedure that harms the patient.
How To Tell If You’ve Been Affected By Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice can affect anyone, and it can be challenging to identify, particularly if you’re not an expert in the healthcare market.
Some signs to consider are:
- Your treatment isn’t working or your health is worsening
- You develop other conditions as a result of your treatment
- Your healthcare provider isn’t listening to your concerns
- Other suits are launched against your healthcare provider that contains allegations that match your experiences
If you feel that you or someone you love is affected by medical malpractice, then you need to be proactive and explore your options immediately.
Why It’s Important To Act Quickly
If you suspect medical malpractice or negligence, then you need to act fast. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to gather evidence.
Also, if you stay with a healthcare provider that you consider to have committed malpractice, then you could endanger your health further, as they might do something else that could cause you further harm.
So, being proactive is essential, but it’s also crucial that you make informed decisions. Here are the core actions you should take if you suspect that you, or a family member, has been the victim of malpractice.
Get Another Doctor
Your health, or the health of your loved one, is the most important factor to consider. So, if you suspect medical malpractice, the first step is to find another doctor or healthcare provider.
Avoid giving medical malpractice as the reason for changing to a new healthcare provider. Simply move to a new doctor, and then ask for their advice and treatment options. They can talk you through the next steps and get your health back on the road to recovery.
Seek Professional Help
Finding a lawyer is an important next step. A lawyer with experience handling medical malpractice cases can talk you through the entire process of suing for medical malpractice, so you understand what’s going to happen and what you need to do.
When choosing a medical malpractice lawyer, you should look for someone with experience working on high-profile cases that are similar to yours.
For example, if your complaint relates to prescription drugs that caused further health problems, then the Dolman Law Group has experience working on the Elmiron class-action lawsuit.
Their experts have dealt with the Elmiron lawsuit and have experience dealing with pharmaceutical and medical malpractice.
As such, they can help you to deal with the process of suing for medical malpractice and getting the compensation you deserve.
Document Your Experience
Collating personal documentation about your experience can be a cathartic exercise, and this evidence could also be useful in court.
Consider putting together a selection of documents, including:
- A list of symptoms you experienced
- Photographs of any injuries or physical symptoms you experienced
- A calendar of appointments you had with your healthcare provider
- Written communications between yourself and your doctor
- Evidence of payment that you made for any appointments, treatments or pills
- Journal entries documenting how your life has changed since the medical malpractice incident
These documents can be used as evidence that you experienced malpractice.
Additionally, they can help the court to decide what level of remuneration for future rehabilitation you need and how much you should receive to compensate you for past expenses that occurred because of medical negligence.
Medical malpractice can have a devastating effect on your life, but there are loads of support out there and many ways to get through the process.
Hopefully, this article will make it easier for you to move forward with your life and get the support you need.