One of the issues that someone needs to figure out when they have been traumatized by a medical error is their own anger about the situation. That is far more difficult than it sounds. Medical errors can ruin a person’s life, and since they presumably occur at the hands of a highly-trained and skilled professional, it becomes all the more difficult to deal with. You’ll be angry, and you’ll want to take action as quickly as possible.
While taking action isn’t necessarily the wrong decision, you will want to ensure that the mistake that you were subjected to actually qualifies as malpractice. Again, this is more difficult than it sounds. As the victim it is hard to be objective, but sometimes a medical mistake — even if it causes great pain and even if it seems like the worst mistake ever — doesn’t qualify as malpractice.
If your case qualifies as medical malpractice, then you need to take the next steps. You need to consult a medical malpractice attorney to help you combat what will surely be an army of lawyers that are utilized by the hospital and/or doctor that made the mistake.
Then, you will need to do some research and collect all the necessary documentation that establishes your case. This is crucial because medical malpractice doesn’t just rob you physically — it robs you financially, emotionally and mentally. Medical malpractice depletes the victim of so many things that justice is necessary just to get them back on level footing — and to achieve that, you need to be organized and prepared.
Source: Nerd Wallet, “Should You Pay for Your Care Even When There’s a Medical Error?,” Linda Adler, May 9, 2014
