Medical Malpractice Is a Serious and Life-Altering Event-Ottawa Lawyers Want You to Know the Facts
Doctors are an important part of any society, and the hardworking people who do these jobs are vital to saving and helping the lives of the people who come to them. But no one is perfect, and sometimes even a doctor makes a mistake that can cost you your health, your independence, your ability to work, your enjoyment of life, or your life (or the life of a loved one). If such a thing happens to you as a direct result of medical malpractice-a form of negligence in tort law-then you may be able to earn compensation for your injuries with the help of Ottawa lawyers specializing in personal injury. Here’s what you should know:
What Is Medical Malpractice?
In the medical field, there is a recognized standard of care. This is based on the “reasonable person”-a common legal yardstick in a variety of tort and negligence cases-and sets out what a reasonable and prudent doctor would be expected to do under a given set of circumstances. If 1) a doctor fails to meet the standard of care, and 2) this is resultant in injury to the patient, then medical malpractice has occurred.
It’s important to be aware that on occasion, even the commonly-recognized best practice can still result in injury or death. You will not be able to sue for malpractice if the practitioner followed the best available course of action but did not achieve the proper result.
What Are Common Causes of Malpractice?
Ottawa lawyers have seen a variety of malpractice cases, and each one is as unique as the lives that they affect. However, over time, a definite pattern emerges, and certain inciting incidents become apparently more common than others. The most common cause is miscommunication, either between the doctor and their patient, or between two doctors handling the same patient. This can often lead to a lack of informed consent. For this reason, it is important to be as clear with your doctor about every symptom you feel as possible, and to advocate for yourself and, when in doubt, request a second opinion. Other common causes include, but are not limited to:
- Misdiagnosis of traumatic injuries based on immediate assumptions of extent
- Medication errors and negligent issuing of prescriptions
- Physically, psychologically, or emotionally exhausted doctors
- Failure to follow up unclear diagnoses
- Unnecessarily-delayed treatment
What You Can Do
You can contact a team of qualified and professional Ottawa lawyers to represent you and make your case. They will look at the facts of your case to determine that medical malpractice has, in fact, taken place, and begin to collect evidence and testimonies to support your case and make it ready to bring before a court. They will work around the clock to make sure that you are compensated fairly for your injuries.
