When you experience a medical emergency, or undergo a medical procedure, you will have an understandably long list of worries. Whether or not your doctors and hospital staff are performing their jobs correctly should never have to be included in that list. If you’ve recently received medical care that left you feeling concerned, neglected, or in worse condition than you started, you may have been a victim of medical malpractice. If this is the case, then you will need to speak to a good medical malpractice lawyer.
What is Medical Malpractice?
It’s important to remember that a medical procedure or treatment not having the desired results is not medical malpractice. Medical Malpractice happens if a healthcare professional fails to provide a standard of care, resulting in harm or injury to the patient. It can take many forms including:
- Misdiagnosis
- Neglecting to diagnose
- Performing the wrong surgery, or an unnecessary surgery
- Incorrectly prescribing medication
- Causing infection or pain after a medical procedure
Signs of Medical Malpractice
If you’re unsure of whether your medical care was handled correctly, these are 5 signs to look for.
1. Your treatment or medication isn’t working
If you’ve been receiving treatment for an extended period of time and are not seeing any results, it could mean that you were misdiagnosed. This is harmful for a number of reasons. The condition you do have is left untreated, and you may experience side effects from the medication you were wrongfully prescribed.
2. Your diagnosis came without proper testing or doesn’t line up with your symptoms
If your doctor diagnosed you with an extensive medical condition after performing only a few simple tests, you may be receiving a misdiagnosis. Before seeking treatment, doctors should always go through several tests, often seeking lab results and outside opinions. You may also have been misdiagnosed if the condition you’ve been told you have doesn’t add up with your actual symptoms. Always do your own research and be aware of the decisions being made by your doctor.
3. You feel ignored and your concerns are being neglected
If you’ve tried voicing your pains and concerns only to have them dismissed by your doctor, you could be a victim of medical negligence. A doctor is required to listen, and take seriously, any pains, symptoms, or side effects you may be experiencing. Failure to take these seriously can lead to harm and injury to the patient.
4. You are in extreme/abnormal pain after surgery
Though some after-surgery pain or discomfort may be normal for your condition, any excessive or extreme pain may be caused by mistakes made by your doctors. If you feel like what you’re experiencing isn’t normal, it’s important to trust your gut and do your research.
Doctors are required to provide prompt and accurate care for their patients. If they neglect their practice, they can cause harm, injury, and even death to their patients. If you feel that you have been a victim, seek the help of a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you possibly can. For more information, visit Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo P.C.
