After a diagnosis or surgery, it can be hard to know if your doctor made a grave mistake. Even when doctors do make a mistake, they are often quick to cover it up with additional treatments, or otherwise skirting around the issue. It is hard for a patient to recognize on their own if their doctor or nurse made a severe mistake.
Doctors need to abide by a standard of care when they work with patients. When doctors fail to meet this standard, it can put a patient’s life at risk. So, what can a patient do to identify a mistake and hold a doctor accountable?
Defending a patient’s needs
When a patient even has a gut feeling that something is wrong; the first thing they need to do is speak with a medical malpractice attorney. These lawyers can help review the situation in question, and determine what the next course of action should be.
Attorneys also know how to use electronic health records to aid their investigation. These records offer a trail of information that a patient can follow to find the source of a mistake. If a doctor accidentally selected the wrong prescription dosage or made inaccurate notes that led to misdiagnoses, a lawyer might find it in the electronic health records.
Attorneys may also have medical experts to consult with to review the situation and determine if the doctor in question made a mistake.
Do not be afraid to check
There is no harm in asking questions about the actions a doctor makes. If you suspect that your doctor made a mistake that led to a severe injury or misdiagnoses, you may deserve compensation for the consequences.
