When you’re not feeling well due to an illness or injury, you go to the hospital to get yourself examined by a doctor. Usually, apart from the diagnosis through a medical checkup, you also expect to feel better after the doctor has provided you with the proper treatment. Unfortunately, there are instances in which a doctor or another healthcare professional makes some mistakes and you end up getting worse instead. This situation is commonly called medical negligence.
Primarily, medical negligence happens when a doctor, nurse, or any healthcare provider commits an act or omission that leads to a deviation from the appropriate standard of care for a patient. This occurs when there’s a failure to properly diagnose on the part of the physician, improper medical treatment, and failure to warn a patient of known risks in the course of ta treatment or procedure.
If you think you’re a victim of medical negligence, here’s what you can do to protect your rights and interests:
Look For Another Doctor To Correct The Medical Mistake
Before you proceed with the legal aspects of your medical negligence case, it’s important that you seek the services of another doctor to correct the medical error caused by the first one. This is to ensure that you’re healthy when you deal with your case.
Typically, your second doctor will assess your medical records and conduct the necessary physical examinations and laboratory procedures to come up with the proper diagnosis. Once they diagnose you with the correct medical condition, they’ll begin providing the right treatment. In case the first doctor committed a treatment error, the second medical professional will treat the complications caused by the mistake.
Contact A Medical Negligence Attorney
As a victim of medical negligence, it’s crucial that you contact a reliable attorney who can help navigate your case. Since these cases can be complex and confusing, you need the assistance of a legal professional to ensure you get compensated for the damages you’ve sustained as a result of your doctor’s negligence.
In addition to the recovery of compensation, you should hire an attorney as soon as possible to make sure you file your case within the statute of limitations required in your state. Also, with their help, you’ll be able to provide expert testimonies that may prove the negligence on the part of the doctor whose act or omission caused you an injury.
Lastly, having a medical negligence attorney can go a long way in determining the true value of your claim. For example, they may include in the calculation the recovery of compensation for the pain and suffering you sustained due to medical negligence. However, to know if you can really sue your doctor for damages like pain and suffering, you can continue reading this for more information.
Secure Your Medical Records
When you decide to file a medical negligence claim against the healthcare provider involved, one of the things that you should do is request your medical records. Generally, these records contain essential information about your medical history, the symptoms you experience, laboratory tests and procedures conducted, and the medications prescribed.
With that in mind, you should obtain copies of these records as soon as possible to help you prove the medical negligence committed by the doctor. Remember, the more you can show that the healthcare professional was negligent, the higher chance you have of winning your case.
Don’t Communicate With Other Parties Directly
Dealing with a medical negligence case can be a complicated matter. Thus, if you want to protect your rights and interests as an injured victim, it’s best if you avoid making contact with the other parties involved.
Instead of talking to the healthcare providers directly to threaten them about your claim, you should avoid communication with them altogether. What you should do is to let your attorney speak to them instead. By doing this, you can avoid saying anything that may be used against you later on.
File A Medical Negligence Claim
Once you have the proper pieces of evidence, you can now proceed with the filing of a medical malpractice claim. In doing so, it’s best to hire a medical negligence attorney to increase your chances of recovering compensation for all the damages you’ve suffered. They can help handle your case more efficiently by ensuring that all the required paperwork, court processes, and procedures are complied with.
The Bottom Line
Typically, medical negligence is highly regulated by complicated rules and regulations. Thus, if you believe you’re a victim of medical negligence, follow the steps listed above. These will help you increase your chances of winning your case and recovering the right compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, pain, suffering, and many more.