It is a commonly known fact that hospitals are overcrowded and healthcare professionals are overworked, particularly in the current times where we face a global pandemic that has caused healthcare services to be even more stretched than usual. These cause doctors and other healthcare employees to make mistakes. Of course, we are all human, and it is natural to make mistakes, however, when it comes to our health, mistakes can be extremely dangerous.
Medical malpractice can be in the form of you receiving the wrong prescription from your doctor, being administered the wrong treatment by nurses, being given the wrong medication by your pharmacist as well as being wrongfully diagnosed. Medication can have serious side effects, depending on what you are given – these will be increased if you do not suffer from the condition they aim to treat, potentially making you a victim of medical malpractice.
In this article, we will advise you of what you should know about medical malpractice.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice, as we discussed above, is essentially a wrongful act from a health professional that was a result of their negligence. Health professionals are highly trained and qualified to know the treatment and medication that you should be administered, however, sometimes they make mistakes. In such cases, the healthcare professional should recognize their mistake and take full responsibility for it and try to remedy it as soon as possible. Ignoring the mistake will only contribute to further evidence of negligence.
What To Do if I’m a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
-
Stop Taking The Medication
If you recognize that you are being a victim of medical practice, it is imperative that you stop the medication as soon as you are aware of this. Medication can have serious side effects therefore do not continue to take them if you know they are not for you.
-
Visit Emergency Services
The next step is to attend emergency services as soon as possible, particularly if you are experiencing severe side effects. The medical professionals can help you and put the necessary medical support in place to ensure you are in good health. This is also an important step if you decide to take legal action against the professional in question, as it will act as evidence that harm to you was caused by medical negligence.
-
Seek Legal Representation
If you know that you are a victim of medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation in order to help you recover from what happened to you. The law group attorneys professionals from www.wilsonlawgroupsc.com propose that medical malpractice can have long-lasting effects on the patient and seeking professional help to support you through the legal process may increase your chances of successfully proving that the medical professional was negligent. Although it may be costly to have a lawyer, it will be worth it if it means they can support you through the case whilst you focus on other aspects of your life.
How To Recognize Medical Malpractice?
Cases of medical malpractice do not happen very often, thankfully. Therefore, it can be difficult to recognize if you are being a victim or to prove negligence. Medical malpractice cases usually need to meet the requirements discussed below:
-
Need to Prove Medical Relationship Existed
Evidently, you cannot sue a doctor that you have had no contact with, simply based on things other people say. For the medical malpractice case to take place, you need to be able to prove that you are the patient, and you have received treatment or advice from the doctor in question.
-
Need to Prove Professional was Negligent
Negligence is something difficult to evidence but is required in such cases. Being unhappy with your treatment or the results achieved does not necessarily mean that you have been a victim of malpractice. Negligence means that the doctor was careless and incompetent, which has resulted in your suffering as a patient.
-
Need to Prove Negligence Has Caused You Injury
If you were receiving medical treatment, it strongly suggests that your health was not in good condition to start with. This makes it very complex to determine whether a negligent doctor caused your malady, by your condition or it was a result of you not taking the medication as prescribed. You cannot simply argue this yourself, you would need to be assessed by a medical expert and have them provide a statement to confirm the medical professional is to blame for your injuries.
Being a victim of medical malpractice can make you lose the trust in health professionals – if you find yourself involved in this situation, it is important that you know what to do. This page should provide you with clear information on everything you should know about medical malpractice and what steps to take if you become a victim.
