Receiving proper diagnosis and treatment is what you deserve as an injured or sick patient. However, what happens when your doctor makes a mistake in follow-through? If they send you home too soon or ignore your critical symptoms after a procedure, you may be a victim of a failure-to-treat case.
The red flags of poor follow-through
A doctor owes you a standard of care. This refers to the level of competence and caution a doctor must exercise when treating your condition. Diagnosis, treatments and procedures are some steps included in a doctor’s standard of care. Failure to meet this standard can result in a direct breach.
For instance, your doctor recently finished operating on you. After the procedure, you begin to exhibit fever, severe pain and bleeding. Despite these symptoms, the doctor clears you to go home. Because they failed to monitor you properly, your condition worsens.
Another example is when your doctor neglects critical data. After receiving your abnormal lab test results, they fail to notify you and order a timely follow-up treatment. This delay can constitute medical negligence, as it can result in further injuries.
The crucial step to take
The consequences of a preventable error can be immense. If you suspect negligence due to a failure to treat, you may have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Proving a breach of the standard of care can be complex, as it requires compliance with state requirements.
Before you file a lawsuit, consider researching more about medical malpractice to learn more about your rights. However, you must act quickly, as Pennsylvania enforces a strict statute of limitations for these cases.
