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Category: Medical Negligence

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New England Medical Malpractice Blog

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Patient Abandonment Is a Type of Medical Malpractice

Patient abandonment is a serious kind of medical malpractice that happens when a healthcare professional ends the doctor-patient relationship without reasonable notice or a suitable alternative for care. This abrupt termination of care can lead to the worsening of the patient’s condition and cause unnecessary harm. Abandonment is generally considered a breach of the provider’s ethical duty of care.

Types of patient abandonment

Patient abandonment can take many forms. Here are five examples:

  1. Premature discharge: Discharging a patient from the hospital before they are medically stable enough to leave.
  2. Failure to attend: This involves not attending scheduled appointments or surgeries without a valid reason or prior notice.
  3. Neglect in nursing homes: Ignoring the needs of a resident in a nursing home, which leads to physical or emotional harm.
  4. Refusal of treatment: This involves refusing to treat a patient when they are in immediate need, and no other healthcare provider is available.
  5. Lack of follow-up: Failing to provide necessary follow-up care or instructions after a procedure or treatment.

Proving patient abandonment in a lawsuit

To prove patient abandonment in a medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff must establish these four elements:

  1. Existence of a doctor-patient relationship.
  2. The healthcare provider terminated the relationship without good reason or adequate notice.
  3. The patient needed medical attention at the time.
  4. The patient endured harm as a direct result of the abandonment.

If these elements are proven, the victim and their family may be entitled to damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more.

Seek legal help

If you believe you’ve been a victim of patient abandonment, it’s crucial to contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. They can help victims and families understand their rights, gather necessary evidence, and guide clients through the legal process.

Remember, patient abandonment is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. Advocate for your rights and seek the justice you deserve.

Are bedsores a sign of medical malpractice?

Patients can feel overwhelmed by the prospect of a hospital stay for numerous reasons. From the ensuing medical debt to the potential for a painful rehab, a lengthy stay in a healthcare facility generally represents stress and worry on multiple levels. Unfortunately, many patients also struggle with developing painful bedsores while under the care of a medical staff.

The development of bedsores is a painful condition that is easily avoidable by an attentive medical staff. Also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, these injuries form when certain parts of the body are under pressure against a surface for an extended period of time. Whether this is lying prone in a hospital bed or sitting in a wheelchair, remaining in the same position for multiple hours can cut off circulation to the affected region. Certain portions of the body are more prone to bedsores and can include the buttocks, shoulder blades, back of the head and heels of the feet. The hospital staff must ensure the patient is properly hydrated and regularly moved to prevent these pressure sores.

Are there different levels of severity?

Bedsores typically present a worsening condition if not caught and treated immediately. Without immediate care and attention, bedsores generally progress through four stages of increasing severity. While stage one might be typified by a red area that is painful to the touch, stage four can mean severe damage to muscles, tendons and bones with increasing risk of infection.

Many people automatically equate bedsores with nursing home residents or elderly long term care patients. While these individuals are more prone to the condition, bedsores are a danger to anyone facing a lengthy hospital stay. The negligence or inattention of a hospital staff can quickly lead to this serious, painful condition.

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Overexposure to Radiation and Effects on Patients in Rhode Island

Radiation serves many purposes in medicine. It is used for tracing broken bones, lung lesions, heart defects, tumors and is treatment for cancer. However, overexposure to radiation due to medical negligence or medical necessity can also cause damage to DNA, which may ultimately result in cancer after 10 to 20 years.

Computed tomography scans rank as the most frequently used procedure for imaging, usually for cancer. Unfortunately, these scans cause 10 percent of patients to be exposed to very high radiation levels. Radiation accounts for 1.5 percent of all cancer cases in the United States.

A recent study has shown that the rate of patients who undergo radiation-based procedures has increased dramatically over the last several years. According to experts, the key to safer exposure is to balance the risks and benefits when using medical radiation.

Doctors should be cautious when it comes to ordering radiation-based procedures such as x-rays and CT scans because they might pose serious side effects to patients in the future. If there are options other than radiation which may be used alternatively, these options may allow patients to avoid possible exposure to cancer-causing elements.

Compensation may be awarded to patients and their families in the event of harm caused by overexposure to radiation due to medical negligence of healthcare professionals. A doctor’s failure to protect his or her patients from overexposure to radiation may be considered medical malpractice. Damages may also be awarded for the past, present and future medical expenses of the patients or the victims. If you have questions related to harm caused by radiation overexposure, please contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney to explore your options.

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