Protect Yourself from Medical Malpractice
Medical errors are a shockingly common source of major injuries for healthcare patients. While precise estimates are difficult to make, studies have reported that between 45,000 and 98,000 people die from medical mistakes every year in the US. Countless more suffer non-fatal but serious injuries from incorrectly filled prescriptions, surgical errors, and other grave mistakes.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a healthcare worker’s carelessness, you could have grounds for legal action. A Tampa medical malpractice lawyer from Beltz & Ruth, P.A. can carefully review your case and advise you on the next steps to take. To learn more, call us at 800-235-8978.
Tips for Patients
The ultimate responsibility for medical malpractice lies with the negligent doctors, nurses, or hospital administrators who harm their patients. However, this does not mean that patients are completely unable to protect themselves. A few tips that may help you recognize and prevent medical errors include:
- Maintain good communication with your doctors and nurses. Do not be afraid to ask lots of questions; if you do not understand something, get clarification. At the same time, be sure to answer healthcare workers’ questions honestly. Do not let fear or embarrassment stop you from sharing important information.
- Research your diagnosis. If the symptoms you read about do not match your own, you may have been misdiagnosed. Additionally, there may be treatment options that your doctor has not mentioned, but that you want to explore. Discuss anything you learn that may be relevant with your doctor.
- When in doubt, always seek a second opinion. You do not have to simply go along with everything your doctor says, especially if it does not seem accurate to you. If your doctor has a tendency to not listen to you, or even if you just doubt him or her for no clear reason, contact another professional.
Whether you take these steps or not, a medical professional’s negligence is not your fault. If you have been harmed by a preventable medical error, our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys can help you protect your legal rights.
Contact Us
The effects of medical malpractice can be devastating for innocent patients. To discuss your grounds for receiving compensation for you and your family’s losses, contact the Tampa medical malpractice attorneys of Beltz & Ruth, P.A. today at 800-235-8978.