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6 Ways Patients Can Reduce the Risk of Medical Malpractice

November 22nd, 2016
On behalf of David Bowling of The Bowling Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation posted in Medical Malpractice on Tuesday, November 22, 2016.

When you put the state of your health in someone else’s hands, you are taking a major risk. No matter how much you trust your doctor, the reality is that everyone – even the most qualified physicians – makes mistakes.

 

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Medical malpractice is far more common than many people realize. According to Forbes, a recent study by Johns Hopkins Medicine showed that medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

In Louisiana alone, there were more than 16,000 reports of medical malpractice between 2005 and 2015. That’s a staggering number given that there were only 9,283 state doctors in the National Practitioner Data Bank during that time.

Medical malpractice takes many forms including late diagnosis, misdiagnosis, surgical errors, pharmaceutical mistakes and birth injuries. If you suffered an injury or lost a family member due to medical negligence, then you may be entitled to compensation.

If the incident happened in Louisiana, turn to the The Bowling Law Firm. David A. Bowling is a medical malpractice lawyer in New Orleans who will evaluate your case, assess doctors’ records and determine if you have grounds for a claim.

Mr. Bowling has more than 30 years of trial experience. He will help you recover the maximum compensation for lost wages, medical bills and other damages.

Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation. You can also learn more about medical malpractice lawsuits in Louisiana by visiting the USAttorneys website.

How Can You Reduce the Risk of Medical Malpractice as a Patient?

There are many reasons why medical malpractice happens. All it takes is a minor communication error or surgical oversight to injure a patient severely.

Although many cases of medical malpractice are entirely out of the patient’s control, there are steps that patients can take to reduce their risk. These include:

Get a Primary Care Physician: If you stick to one doctor, then all of your medical history will be in one place. This will prevent medical errors due to a lack of information.

See a Specialist: If you have symptoms of an injury or illness, then see a specialist rather than a general practitioner. This will reduce the risk of misdiagnosis or late diagnosis.

Ask Questions: Stay informed about your treatment plan. Learn about your medications and potential side effects. Speak your mind if you believe something is wrong.

Check the Labels on Your Medications: Pharmacists often confuse the names of two patients or two medications. Review the label on your prescription to conFirm that your name, the drug name and the dose are correct.

Get Your Doctor to Type Your Prescriptions: Doctors have notoriously bad handwriting. This can lead to medication errors if the pharmacist misreads the prescription.

Ask Nurses and Doctors to Wash Their Hands: Hospital workers are constantly exposed to harmful bacteria and germs. Make sure your nurses and doctors wash their hands before touching you.

If you were injured or lost a family member due to a negligent nurse, doctor or pharmacist, turn to the The Bowling Law Firm. David A. Bowling is a New Orleans medical malpractice attorney with the experience, knowledge and resources to help you recover the maximum compensation.

The Bowling Law Firm is AV-rated under Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system. Call (504) 586-5200 to schedule a consultation.

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