Protecting Yourself Against Medical Mistakes: Six Strategies For Filing A Medical Malpractice Claim
Medical providers are highly trained and skilled professionals. However, they are also human and frequently make mistakes. These can potentially have potentially life-threatening impacts on patients.
Medical malpractice is common throughout the U.S. and can impact your health and well-being for years to come. Our Tampa medical malpractice attorney offers tips to protect yourself when receiving medical care, along with six strategies to protect your rights if medical mistakes and errors do occur.
Medical Malpractice In Tampa A Serious Public Health Threat
Medical mistakes and errors pose serious risks in Tampa and, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are a significant public health threat throughout the United States. There are two different types of medical mistakes that can happen:
- Errors of omission, which means not providing the services patients need or warning them of potential risks;
- Errors of commission, which means taking wrong actions that endanger the patient’s health and safety.
Doctors and other medical providers are not perfect. Missed diagnoses, incorrect test results, surgical or anesthesia mistakes, and adverse medication reactions are all common.
Patients have a right to expect a reasonable standard of care from their medical providers. Under the Florida Statutes, you are entitled to hold them accountable for any harm you suffer as a result of their negligence.
Six Strategies To Protect Yourself and Your Rights In A Tampa Medical Malpractice Claim
Being your own patient advocate can help reduce the risks of medical malpractice in Tampa. You can do this by speaking up at doctor visits and asking questions. Make sure they have all of your current medical information and a complete family health history. If you are unsure of a diagnosis or a course of treatment, get a second or even third opinion.
If you are a victim of medical malpractice in Tampa, the following five strategies can help protect your rights in a claim:
- Get copies of all your medical records;
- Get the names of all medical providers involved in your care;
- Note which medical facilities you have visited;
- Keep a journal detailing how the situation unfolded and the current impacts you face due to medical negligence;
- Avoid making any recorded statements if contacted by your provider’s insurer;
- Contact our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys before accepting a settlement.
To Request A Consultation, Contact Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys Today
If you are the victim of medical mistakes or errors in Tampa, get the caring support and fierce legal representation you need to hold at-fault providers accountable. At Greco & Wozniak, P.A., we take the legal actions needed to protect your rights in filing a medical malpractice claim.
As experienced Tampa medical malpractice attorneys, you can count on us to help you get the maximum compensation you are entitled to for the harm you suffer. This typically includes current and future medical costs and lost earnings or benefits, along with additional amounts for your pain and suffering. To request a consultation, call or contact our office online today.
Sources:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499956/
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0766/0766ContentsIndex.html
