Medical malpractice. Those two words are enough to send chills down the spine of anyone who has ever needed a doctor. But the truth is, most doctors provide excellent care, and we trust them to be conscientious and competent. The problem is there are no guarantees. Doctors in the U.S. provide some of the best medical care in the world, but one visit to a busy emergency room and you can imagine how mistakes can happen. So, how do you distinguish between an unfortunate outcome and malpractice? Perhaps even more significantly, how does the justice system distinguish between the two?
In this book, Jeffrey H. Dover, J.D. and Mark Gerald Weissinger, M.Div., M.D. go to great lengths to explain just how complex it is to determine the difference. But they also provide the reader who thinks he or she may be a victim of malpractice with some excellent advice on:
• how to evaluate the situation
• common problems and treatment errors
• patient rights
• the standard of care you should expect
• who to turn to for help
They cover a comprehensive array of situations ranging from problems with prescription medications, to misdiagnosed cancer, to nursing home negligence. Above all, they offer a strong voice of reason: malpractice happens; nobody wants it to happen but it does, and if you have suffered from medical malpractice, then you deserve to have your case heard.