Everyone who goes through a medical procedure of any kind hopes that it goes well. However, there are always risks. There is always the possibility of a bad outcome
A bad outcome does not necessarily mean that the doctor or any of the medical professionals involved did anything wrong. Despite the best efforts of those involved, it is still possible for a medical procedure to turn out poorly. That being said, patients always have the right to ask questions. They have the right to be told what happened and why.
They have the right to find out if, in fact, the bad outcome could have been prevented.
Signs Of Medical Malpractice
First, it is important to understand what medical malpractice is. Medical malpractice is when a bad outcome is the result of someone’s failure to adhere to the standard of care. In basic terms, if a medical professional did something they should not have done and it results in harm to the patient, it is likely medical malpractice.
Perhaps the most glaring sign that something is wrong is a reluctance to answer questions or provide information. Is a medical professional being elusive? Have they failed to provide medical documentation? Does it seem like they are hiding something?
Another sign is when the answers that are given are contradictory. For example, if a nurse provides one answer and a doctor says something different, there may be something wrong. If the documentation provided seems incomplete or possibly even tampered with, that may be indication that there was medical negligence.
If another medical professional makes a statement that something was perhaps done improperly, that is a clear sign to take further steps to learn more about what happened.
If you are told not to talk to a lawyer about the situation, that should also send up a red flag. This might be a very good reason for you to contact a lawyer immediately.
These matters can be very difficult. Even when medical professionals do everything right, it can be challenging to understand exactly what they did after listening to medical jargon and reading highly specialized documentation. Just remember that, as a patient, no matter what happened, you have the right to know.
