Last time, we began looking at the positive trend of increasing transparency in the delivery of health care. There are a variety of positive changes that will come about as the result of increased transparency in health care, particularly when medical error ends up harming a patient. Unfortunately, in many cases, patients receive poor communication from providers and hospitals and are left to fall back on the legal process to protect their rights.
As we noted, health care providers and systems are the primary holders of information when a medical error occurs. This isn’t to say that every case of medical error will be documented, because that isn’t true. In cases where medical error is reported and documented, though, it is up to the patient to make use of the legal process to obtain the information he or she needs to build a sound medical malpractice case.
When parents begin to notice developmental issues related to cerebral palsy, speaking to a lawyer sooner is better than later to ensure that parents understand the extent of the injury and their options for seeking appropriate compensation. Parents who notice developmental issues can have a medical evaluation done to determine cause of the problems. Medical evaluation of an infant is based on the so-called Apgar test, which evaluates an infant’s appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration.
Parents who learn that their child has symptoms of cerebral palsy need medical evaluation not only for their ability to care for the child, but also to prepare for future challenges related to the condition, particularly the financial challenges.
We’ll continue this discussion in our next post.
Source:
birthinjuryguide.com, “Birth Injury Types,” June 29, 2016.
Related Posts: Failure to diagnose a heart attack, Common forms of defense against medical malpractice claims, Common forms of defense against medical malpractice claims, Dealing with hospital and medical malpractice