When you go to the doctor, you expect to be treated with the utmost care and caution. However, there are instances where you end up being injured because of someone else's mistake. In turn, you are left with an injury that you now have to deal with for the rest of your life. While you might assume that you are eligible for a medical malpractice lawsuit because a doctor messed up when providing you with care, that isn't always the case. Medical malpractice involves more than simply being hurt. Learn more about medical malpractice here to help you determine whether you have a case or not.
Did the doctor or other healthcare provider actually make a mistake?
The first element in determining whether there is a medical malpractice case at hand is whether the doctor actually did make a mistake in treating you. Did they perform the wrong procedure? Did they not do the procedure intended properly? Did the provider misdiagnose your condition and perform a procedure that you really didn't need in the first place?
Did you suffer harm because of the doctor's error?
Beyond simply being injured, you also have to be harmed as a result of that injury. For example, if the doctor amputates your left leg when it was supposed to be your right, you suffered harm. If the doctor removes your uterus when you were supposed to have your gallbladder removed, that caused harm. While these are just a few examples, there are plenty of other instances where you could have been caused harm because of the doctor's mistake.
How do you know what medical malpractice is?
Medical malpractice takes place whenever a doctor or other healthcare provider either doesn't do or does do something and it ends up causing you harm or injury. That act by the medical professional is deemed medical negligence. It isn't about just doing something wrong. It is also about doing something that causes you harm.
The medical mistake can occur at the onset of your treatment or in the end when undergoing surgery. Healthcare providers are required to provide you with a certain standard of care from the diagnosis all the way through to the treatment. The care given should relate to the type of care that other providers in the area would give to their patient.
If you feel you were taken advantage of during your treatment, speak with a medical malpractice attorney, such as Marzella RJ & Associates, about your case.
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