You expect your condition to improve when you visit a healthcare specialist to be treated for a medical issue. Sadly, sometimes, their wrongful actions or negligence can trigger additional harm, and your physical and mental health worsens. In some instances, medical negligence can even cause the patient’s death.
Let’s remember that healthcare specialists are also humans at the end of the day, and they can and do make mistakes. While everyone would like to think that medical negligence cases are rare, research shows that over 400,000 people die annually because of medical malpractice. Therefore, it’s crucial for patients to be aware of the signs of medical negligence so they can determine when they have to search for another specialist to treat their condition and consult a solicitor to help them seek compensation.
This article looks at some of the most common signs pinpointing a medical negligence case.
The doctor failed to diagnose your condition
One of the most common occurrences of medical negligence is when the healthcare specialist doesn’t correctly diagnose the condition. If you go to a doctor who misses the early symptoms of a disease or dismisses your symptoms, you can experience complications. Sadly, this is often true for aggressive health issues like cancer, where early treatment is crucial to treat it. The earlier the doctor diagnoses a disease like cancer, the higher the chances of treating it are. A delayed diagnosis would make it more challenging to treat it effectively and cause more pain.
The healthcare expert misdiagnoses your condition
A misdiagnosis can be as dangerous and fatal as a late diagnosis. When your doctor attributes your symptoms to a wrong health issue, they can prescribe medications and treatments that fail to help you and could deteriorate your condition. If you were misdiagnosed, you might be a medical malpractice victim and should consider asking for compensation. In the UK the doctors who misdiagnose patients are held liable for their mistakes and have to pay compensation to cover their pain or loss.
You can be a victim of medical negligence if your symptoms don’t seem to match the diagnosis the doctor identified. You might not be a doctor, but you could research to find more about your medical problem and determine that your symptoms don’t match the disease your doctor treats you for.
You can ask for a second opinion when the symptoms don’t match the diagnosis or are uncommon with the disease. As mentioned earlier, if you conclude that the first doctor misdiagnosed your condition, and prescribed you the wrong treatment that deteriorated your state, you can ask for compensation.
The doctor prescribed the wrong dosage or medication
Sometimes medical complications don’t arise from your healthcare specialist misdiagnosing your condition but prescribing the wrong medication or improper dosage.
If your healthcare specialist prescribed the wrong medication or treatment that could interact with your current health issues, you could experience medical complications or even death. It’s best to always be cautious when taking new medication and check if it interacts with the pills you already take.
Double-check with the medical professional to ensure that the drug and dosage they prescribe fits your condition and would cause no harm. When a doctor prescribes the wrong dosage or medication, it could trigger complications, and it’s a sign of medical negligence.
The lack of informed consent
You already know that all treatments and medical procedures come with several risks and possible complications. This is why, before prescribing or administering treatment, doctors need to explain to you what the benefits and potential risks associated with it are, so you can make an informed decision if you want to undergo the treatment or an alternative.
In case you experience complications during a medical procedure for which you were not informed of the risks, you can ask for compensation because there is a lack of informed consent.
However, for the lack of informed consent to be considered medical negligence, you must prove that the medical specialist didn’t properly inform you about the risks associated with the treatment. Their role is to explain the ups and downs of the procedure so you can decide if you want to follow the treatment.
Your doctor or healthcare specialist admitted they made a mistake
When the doctor admits they made a mistake, it’s clear you’re a victim of medical negligence. If the medical specialist who cared for you while sick admits they made a mistake that caused harm, like misdiagnosing you, administering the wrong dosage or medicine, or putting you in danger, you should consider hiring a personal injury solicitor because you have a medical malpractice case.
However, very few medical experts admit their fault when something goes wrong, which is why you should always look out for signs of negligence. You should know your rights and consult a specialist if you believe you’re a victim of malpractice.
A loved one dies during or after a medical procedure
Death is a complication associated with most surgeries, but when a family member dies during a routine procedure, you cannot stop but wonder if the medical specialists handling the case made a mistake. Suppose your loved one was in a stable condition before receiving medical treatment but died during or after the procedure. In that case, you can suspect they have been the victim of medical negligence.
What should you do if you think you have a medical malpractice case?
Your first priority should always be your health, so it’s recommended to consult a different provider when you have doubts you received the right diagnosis or treatment. Make sure to preserve all documentation to document your case and show it to your current doctor and personal injury solicitor.
With so much at stake, it’s best to hire an expert to claim compensation and handle the communication between you and the party at fault. If you got substandard care in a hospital or private clinic, feel free to consult a specialist to find out if you’re entitled to compensation.
