Going to the doctor is never much fun but New York residents keep their appointments with their physicians because maintaining their health is a key component to feeling good and protecting their longevity. It is often the case that a consultation with a doctor will provide a person with valuable information on how to improve their health and continue to lead the strongest lifestyle possible. However, when doctors fail to act in accordance with their duties of care and commit negligence, patients can suffer damaging medical malpractice events.
Medical malpractice can take on many forms but often arises in the context of making diagnoses. A diagnosis is the identification of a patient’s ailment and depending on what a doctor diagnoses, that patient’s treatment may take on very different characteristics. If a doctor misdiagnoses a patient with the wrong condition that person may suffer detriments to their health and well-being.
Another arena where medical malpractice can happen is in the poor communication that often happens between patients and their medical providers. A patient may attempt to convey their opposition to a particular line of treatment only to have their doctors impose that treatment on them without their knowledge. Informed consent is an imperative point of protection for patients and when it is violated they may have cause for legal action.
These are only a few of the ways that patients may be made to suffer at the hands of their medical providers. When medical malpractice incidents happen, victims should remember that they have rights. Under personal injury theories of law a victim may be able to pursue their losses through awards of damages based on civil claims.