Once a doctor-patient relationship is established, the doctor must deliver all necessary treatment to a patient until the relationship is concluded by the patient or by the physician, provided that the physician gives the patient sufficient notice to get a different way to obtain medical care. Where a physician deliberately refuses to continue care or treatment for a patient, they can be held accountable in certain circumstances for any resulting injuries using the concept of medical abandonment.
In demonstrating that a doctor abandoned a patient, a patient must demonstrate that (1) the doctor was unavailable to treat the patient during a period when the physician recognized the patient was at a significant stage of treatment, and (2) the physician either failed to provide sufficient notice to allow the patient to get another doctor or didn’t request a good doctor to care for the patient in their absence. Regrettably, the failure to continue treatment is often just as harmful as providing negligent care and often results in serious injury or loss of life.
Several factors need to be taken into consideration in deciding whether or not unwarranted medical abandonment has happened:
- Was the medical care unreasonably discontinued at a time when the physician understood the patient was at a critical stage of treatment?
- Was the discontinuance of medical care against the patient’s wishes?
- Did the physician give adequate notice to allow the patient to obtain another doctor and request a competent physician to look after the patient?
- Did experience indicate that discontinuance of care would result in physical harm to the patient?
- Was actual harm suffered by the patient?
A personal injury attorney should have practical experience representing individuals injured due to medical abandonment. To find out more about submitting a claim because of medical abandonment, please speak to a law firm in the GA area for consultation.
Consult with Augusta Personal Injury Law Firms now if you have been hurt by an accidental injury.
Injury Lawyers in Augusta could be able to help you get the compensation that’s rightfully yours.
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