One of the most important elements of health care is a relationship established between a doctor and a patient. Doctors gain invaluable information when they listen to their patients’ concerns. In fact, it is hard to properly diagnose a patient without actually speaking to them. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we want to discuss whether or not a failure to listen to a patient can result in medical malpractice. Our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys are adept at uncovering malpractice committed by medical professionals.
Doctors have important jobs, and they must synthesize an enormous amount of information in order to make a diagnosis for a patient. First and foremost, a doctor has to listen to a patient, learn what their symptoms are, and gather a full patient medical history.
Along with listening to a patient, a doctor will order tests and scans in order to properly inform them as they work to make a diagnosis.
Often, however, doctors feel rushed to treat a patient and make a diagnosis. This could be due to limited bed space or the desire to get more patients to earn more money. Whatever the reason for treating patients quickly, this can have disastrous results.
According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in this country. These researchers have also stated that diagnostic errors lead to the most significant patient harm of all medical mistakes, and they account for the largest percentage of all medical malpractice claims. Researchers have indicated that “misdiagnosis leads to significant permanent injury or death in as many as 80,000 to 160,000 patients annually.”
If your doctor does not listen to your health concerns and subsequently misdiagnoses you, you may have a medical malpractice case. It should be noted that not all cases of a doctor failing to listen to a patient result in actual patient harm. Just because a doctor has a bad bedside manner does not mean they have committed an error.
However, if you do believe the doctor has made a mistake in your treatment because they did not address your concerns, you need to take your case to a qualified Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney. These cases can become incredibly complicated, and there are specific elements of negligence that an attorney needs to investigate.
If you or somebody you love has been harmed due to the negligence of a health care professional, seek legal assistance today. It may be the case that your doctor did not listen to your concerns. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we are going to investigate every aspect of your case and work to determine whether you are entitled to any of the following compensation:
If you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
