Whether you are a physician or an owner of a health facility, it is essential for you to know how various situations can affect your practice. Physicians are duty-bound to offer medical care to their patients. As a physician, you will be expected to uphold the dictates of the Hippocratic oath which expressly require you do no harm to your patient. Being careful in the way you attend to your patients is very important both to you and to the healthcare facility that you are affiliated to. However, in some cases, you might be wrongly sued for medical malpractice. When this happens, you need not to despair; you should seek the legal counsel of a qualified attorney who will advise you on how to counter the suit.
What to do if you have malpractice insurance
If you have a malpractice insurance cover, you should inform your insurer of any malpractice lawsuit that is brought against you. Remember insurance covers are meant to protect you in case an insured event happens and in this case, the insured event is being sued for medical malpractice. Having this kind of insurance cover will reduce the stress that accompanies being sued by your patients.
Upon notifying your malpractice insurer, you will be assigned an attorney to help you with the case. You need to cooperate with your attorney and do exactly as he or she directs you to do. For example, if the attorney asks you for client records to help in building your defense make sure that you have supplied them in good time. These cases tend to be all about the victim. According to FLG, “a careless mistake can be devastating, leading to serious injury or death, changing your life forever.”
Should you fight or settle?
Similar to any other serious lawsuit, malpractice lawsuits carry some severe penalties which must be thought through when weighing between settling and fighting the case. Good news for you if you have an attorney assigned to you by your insurer or your own hired attorney because they will use their experience to weigh the merits of each move and advice on the best move. Don’t be afraid to settle when your attorney advises you to settle. This move might help you redeem your reputation and get back on track.
Parting shot:
Malpractice lawsuits can taint your medical career and tarnish the reputation of the health facility you work for. It is therefore essential for you to work with an attorney who will help you fight the lawsuit and emerge victoriously.
