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3 Most Common Reasons That Doctors Get Sued

Although there are many reasons why people get sued every day, doctors can be on the top of the list. When a person goes to the doctor, they trust that they’re in good hands. Not only do they deserve quality care as a human being, but they’re paying for it. There shouldn’t be any reason why a doctor fails to carry out their duties correctly. Unfortunately, it isn’t always the case. Patients may end up having an experience that’s less than positive, and in some cases, even get injured. 

As a result, patients sue for negligence and take the case to court.  Here are some of the most common reasons why doctors get sued.

Bedside Manner

As a patient, you hope to develop a relationship with your doctor that involves trust. However, when a patient feels like a physician hasn’t performed their duties in a way that shows compassion and honesty, they will often sue.

Unfortunately, in many cases, the lawsuit is warranted. Many doctors lack when it comes to making eye contact, listening to each patient, and taking the time to consider each symptom. As a result, their lack of interest and hastiness results in a liability for their practice or hospital.

Delayed Diagnosis 

Unfortunately, some patients aren’t diagnosed until it’s too late. If a patient feels like their doctor didn’t act in a timely enough manner, they will sue. It’s reasonable to understand why a patient who is faced with irreversible symptoms that could have been treated had they been caught in time, would take legal action.

Doctors must be efficient about setting clear expectations and returning results in a timely manner. Making a patient wait for their diagnosis anxiously worrying isn’t responsible.  

Lack of Information

When a patient feels like a doctor didn’t provide all of the information, they’re likely to be furious and pursue legal action. Informed consent is the process of being given enough information about your condition so that you can have a voice in deciding what kind of treatments you hope to receive. 

Rather than your doctor making your choices for you without informing you about everything first, you should be able to make decisions with them. If a patient feels like they weren’t given all of the information, they will pursue legal action.

Billing Disputes

One of the most common reasons why patients are so furious with their doctor that they take them to court is because of billing disputes. In some cases, patients may feel that they were billed unfairly. As a result, they will sue over a billing dispute.

All of these common reasons for suing doctors come down to the same problem: lack of communication. As a doctor, it’s important to take the time for each patient even though you may feel like you are too busy to. Not only will you build trust with your patients, but you’ll steer clear of lawsuits!

Folton

Chadney is a journalist, the author of several books and the former editor of Cosmopotrist Magazine. She has also written for a variety of high-profile publications. Helen is the co-founder of The Writing Salon, which aims to help writers of all levels achieve their goals.

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