Delaware patients expect and demand quality of care when they undergo surgery and otherwise receive medical treatment. Despite best efforts, medical and surgical errors still occur. Following a medical or surgical mistake, a patient may never enjoy life as before. Medical malpractice can result in physical limitations, and related expenses can accumulate quickly.
In another state, hospitals are supporting new legislation in hopes of possibly lowering medical malpractice costs. They believe the legislation may encourage physicians to admit mistakes to their patients, and allow hospitals and patients to negotiate a compensation plan outside of the court system. They used a recent example to support their opinion, that of a man who was accidentally paralyzed after a disk repair. The surgeon and hospital administration admitted the mistake directly to the patient, covered his medical expenses and offered long-term medical care as compensation.
Those opposed to the legislation argue that it may create a system in which patients may not receive rightful compensation. In cases that physicians and hospital administrations do not believe they are at fault, patients could be left without compensation for expensive medical and therapy bills. They also fear that patients in the recovery stage may not be capable of understanding the physical and financial impact that a medical mistake may have on their lives, or be aware that a request for long-term medical expense compensation may be necessary.
Surgical errors and other medical mistakes are costly to patients in numerous ways. Loss of a previous quality of life can be devastating, and health care costs can cause financial stress. Knowledgeable medical malpractice attorneys in Delaware can guide and advise patients in the pursuit of fair and rightful compensation for medical errors.
Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Doctors could admit to mistakes without facing liability in court under proposed legislation“, Andrea K. McDaniels, Feb. 26, 2017
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