Being a doctor comes with a great deal of responsibility. As the patient, you’re trusting the doctor with your health and, in some cases, your life. Medical errors can be terrifying for someone with a serious illness, and in some cases, even healthy patients have been seriously harmed or killed by a careless medical professional. Even small errors can be stressful as well as expensive.
What medical malpractice is and isn’t
Medical malpractice is an intentional breach of duty on the part of a doctor, or other medical professional, that causes injury to a patient. While sometimes used interchangeably with medical negligence, medical malpractice is more serious because it is done deliberately. This doesn’t mean that malpractice is done with the intention of harming the patient, but rather, it is done with the knowledge that the patient may be harmed. Malpractice is more than an accident, even a careless one.
Medical malpractice cases can be difficult for the victims, who are often not in the position of watching a doctor’s every move. Negligent actions may resemble honest, unavoidable mistakes, and even when negligence is clear, intent is hard to prove.
Examples of medical malpractice may include:
- Giving unnecessary treatments to inflate the cost of treatment.
- Withholding a treatment out of fear that insurance won’t cover it, and the patient won’t be able to pay for it.
- Giving false, misleading, or incomplete information about a treatment and its risks.
- Deliberately ignoring established safety protocols, either to cut costs or save time.
Medical malpractice is not an honest mistake. However, it may be difficult for a patient to know an honest mistake from a willful act, especially if the doctor is engaged in fraud or another other exploitative act. Also, remember that other medical professionals, like pharmacists, nurses, and even lab technicians, can commit some of these offenses.
If your health has been affected by medical errors, or if the standard of care you’ve been given just isn’t enough, let us help you. Katherine is an excellent legal counselor, and she’s helped many people who have been harmed or mistreated by medical incompetence. She has the experience and knowledge to help you understand your own case. For a free consultation, call, email, or text us today!