Philadelphia Attorneys Addressing Informed Consent and Medical Malpractice
Modern medical treatments can cure a condition or at least help people live with it, but many come with serious risks. Because of the potential complications of drugs and surgeries, it is important that patients receive all the information about risks prior to consenting to the treatment. If a patient suffers serious injuries because he or she did not get essential information, he or she may be able to take legal action, even if the only thing a doctor did wrong was fail to provide that information. If you or someone you love is currently facing this troubling situation, contact the attorneys at Cherry Injury Law.
What Is Informed Consent?
Before agreeing to certain types of medical treatment, an individual must indicate that he or she has been well educated about all aspects by signing an informed consent form. Specific types of information the patient must be aware of include:
- An estimated cost for procedures and insurance coverage information
- The risks and potential side effects of the procedure or medication
- Alternative treatments
- The medical professional who will perform the operation and his or her qualifications
- The success rate for the procedure being recommended
- Expected recovery time
- The reason for performing the medical procedure or prescribing the medication
Failure to Provide Informed Consent Has Consequences
If a patient does not receive all of the necessary information, the consequences can be devastating. For example, a lack of informed consent could result in significant financial strain if an individual was unaware of how much a treatment would cost or that insurance would not cover it. It could also result in physical or emotional harm if the treatment damaged the patient’s health or if recovery time was significantly longer than expected.
There are laws in place to help avoid the negative consequences of lack of informed consent. It is typically illegal for a health care professional to perform certain procedures or prescribe specific medications unless there is a signed informed consent form. If you believe that such a form was not provided for you to sign, you may be able to take action.
Free Consultation: Contact a Media Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered because of lack of informed consent, please contact Cherry Injury Law, by phone at 610-565-0300 or 215-675-2400 or e-mail to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Philadelphia lawyers.