Doctors have a responsibility to treat patients with proper care, which includes diagnosing conditions in a timely manner and providing the appropriate treatment. When this doesn’t happen, the results can be serious. Doctors are human, and errors do sometimes occur. But when physicians aren’t held accountable for those errors, and they are allowed to continue to practice medicine, the patients are the ones who suffer the consequences.
Accountability is key
A West Coast doctor has been accused of serious misconduct on multiple occasions. Some of these claims involve surgical errors, which led to the patient needing additional surgeries to fix the problems. Even though the doctor was under investigation, he was still allowed to practice, and his patients had no way of knowing about the previous issues. One patient, who was undergoing an abdominoplasty, researched the physician beforehand and found no reports of disciplinary action.
The doctor in question has been sued for medical malpractice in the past. He had also been disciplined, but that information did not show up when the patient searched his license number. Lack of accountability and lack of action from the medical board means that patients don’t have all the information they need when choosing a reputable and trustworthy doctor. Even though the was reprimanded and received other disciplinary actions, his medical license was still not revoked.
Understanding medical malpractice
A medical malpractice claim is often the best option for patients who have suffered at the hands of a physician who didn’t diagnose or treat a condition properly. While patients may do their due diligence when searching for reputable doctors, the information available is not always reliable. Anyone who has been injured or otherwise negatively impacted by a doctor’s negligence may have cause for legal recourse. It’s helpful to consult an experienced Texas medical malpractice attorney to know all the options and get advice on how to proceed with the case.