If you suffer an injury at the hospital or due to a medical provider's actions, you should have questions about what happened and why you had to suffer. In addition, if you lost a loved one on account of a medical error, you may wish to consider pursuing a medical malpractice case.
How to Prevent Medical Malpractice
In 2012, medical malpractice resulted in $3 billion in payouts to patients. That is an alarming statistic, but what's more troubling is how many patients who suffered.How can you avoid being another statistic? Start by being proactive about your health and medical care. Research your symptoms and the conditions you're told you have. Document how you're treated for the condition. Write down questions and make sure you get full answers before you accept your doctor's explanation.Don't be intimidated. It's your right as a patient to know about treatment options and to discuss your condition with not only your doctor but other providers as well. Listen to your body. Even if a doctor says one thing might be wrong, if you think the diagnosis doesn't make sense, a second opinion is worth getting. Having a second person come with you to appointments can help you remember to ask questions and relay concerns, too.
If You Experience a Medical Error
If an injury does take place, you should be persistent in asking what happened. If a loved one dies due to a medical error, it does need to be investigated, and you should receive information about what the hospital or medical provider is doing to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Contact us to schedule a consultation with our skilled New York medical malpractice attorneys to discuss your specific situation.