Medical Malpractice: Mistake or Negligence?
Pharmaceutical companies, physicians, and those who opt not to vaccinate their children have been getting negative publicity surrounding the most recent vaccination drama—a measles outbreak in California and a seemingly ineffective 2014-2015 flu season vaccine. Regardless of your opinion on vaccinations, the deaths that have occurred as a result of these situations are tragic. Hundreds of people have died in Florida alone, spanning from infants to the elderly, predominantly impacting the very young or the elderly. Though we may think of ourselves as invincible, you can conceivably die of the flu, along with hundreds of Americans that already have this flu season.
Treatment Options and Doctor Negligence
The flu is one of several illnesses that may present with benign symptoms at first. A doctor may recommend plenty of fluids and rest, or prescribe medication if they find your illness to be something more serious. Though doctors are human and make mistakes, physicians also have a heightened obligation to their patients to ensure their health and safety. Sending someone home when they are truly ill can be a death sentence; failing to proscribe a necessary medication or proscribing an insufficient one; not taking a patient’s claims seriously . . . each of these occurrences can have potentially life-altering consequences on an ill patient.
We, as patients, have obligations too. You cannot expect your physician to treat you adequately if you do not provide them with all of the information they need to come to a diagnosis. Providing a detailed, accurate, and truthful medical history is necessary to help your doctor to evaluate your condition. The doctor can then better assess your genetic pre-dispositions, understand your past health, and detect any pre-existing conditions that may be contributing to your current health complaints.
On the flip side, a physician has an obligation to explain any procedures he will do, inform the patient of the possible risks and possible benefits of operations, medication use, foregoing treatment, or other remedies, and to answer questions pertaining to care, treatment, and long-term consequences. We trust doctors because they are experts in ways we are not, and believe they will do what is in our best interest. Though most act reasonably, carefully, and conduct themselves in a manner that puts your health first, a negligent doctor can detrimentally impact your life and cause irreparable harm on your health and wellness. Knowing what your legal rights are if a doctor acts negligently or carelessly and causes you harm is of critical importance for your ultimate recovery.
Miami Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Being injured or suffering permanent damage due to the negligence of someone you entrusted with your life can be emotionally, physically, and financially devastating. You may be faced with unanticipated medical bills as a result of undisclosed complications, or miss work due to your injuries. Regardless of the unique circumstances surrounding your case, our knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers at Alan Goldfarb P.A. will work tirelessly to obtain the best possible result possible. We confidently advocate for our client’s interests and will strive to obtain compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and any other monetary damages permissible under the law. No one deserves to be injured at the hands of someone they trust; contact our Miami offices to learn more about your rights when working with medical professionals today.
