Doctor Doubts: 4 Signs You are a Victim of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice comes in many forms, and it can be difficult to know if you’ve been a victim. Even if you’re on the road to recovery, it is possible that your doctor or surgeon made a misstep along the way that qualifies as malpractice. Here are four signs that you may have a valid medical malpractice claim.

An Understaffed Hospital

Staffing shortages are common in today’s hospitals and many facilities are trying to do more with less. A shortage of staff in and of itself certainly isn’t medical malpractice, but it can lead to it. You may have been the victim of medical malpractice if you received medications later than you were supposed to or were forgotten when hospital staff came to take meal orders. If you always found yourself waiting a long time after pressing the nurse call button or listening to alarms that were never turned off, it is possible that staffing issues at your hospital had become something more.

You’re Not Getting Better

Unfortunately, some illnesses are manageable or treatable but not curable. Others may be terminal. If, however, your doctor expects your condition to improve, you should be concerned if it’s not. Sometimes patients fail to get better because doctors are treating the wrong problem. You can’t get the right cure until you have the right diagnosis. If your doctor’s cure isn’t working, you need to question why.

Your Pharmacist Balks

When prescribing medications, it is important for your doctor to understand a drug’s potential side effects and interactions with other medications you are taking. If you go to fill your prescription and your pharmacist refuses to fill it or advises against taking the medication, you may be experiencing a medical malpractice issue that requires you to consult with a lawyer. Never ignore a concern raised by your pharmacist about taking or combining medications.

A Second Opinion Comes out of Left Field

You should always get a second opinion when dealing with major medical issues. When you do, you can expect both doctors to provide the same or very similar diagnoses. If one doctor thinks you have stomach cancer while another diagnoses you with an ulcer, it’s time to speak to a third doctor and a medical malpractice attorney from places like Law Offices of Goldberg & Ibarra.

Medical malpractice encompasses a large number of medical mistakes and issues. It can be difficult to know when it may have touched your life or the life of someone you love. Always trust your instincts and, when in doubt, contact an attorney to discuss your concerns.