winter injuries - file a personal injury lawsuit?

winter injuries - file a personal injury lawsuit?

How Patients Can Help Reduce Diagnostic Errors

by Franklin Vasquez

Medical malpractice lawsuits do not benefit anybody, not even plaintiffs who do win them. As a patient, you will spend a lot of time chasing after the settlement. It is best, for everybody involved, to prevent medical malpractice in the first place.

According to, Time magazine, diagnostic errors are some of the most common forms of medical malpractice. As a patient, therefore, you can play your part in preventing medical malpractice by helping your physician to make the right diagnosis. Here is how you can help:

Give Accurate Descriptions of Your Symptoms

One of the things your doctor will use to make a diagnosis is your description of the symptoms. The more accurate you are, the more your doctor is likely to make the right diagnosis. Things that may make your description clearer and complete include stating:

  • When the symptoms started
  • Things that make your symptoms worse
  • Any drugs you have taken

In short, give a complete and factual story of your illness.

Keep Records

Health records aren't just for the hospital to keep; you also need to keep some for yourself even if they aren't as succinct as your physicians. Some of the things to note include:

  • Your illness progression (for example, when you started feeling better)
  • Doctors you have consulted
  • Prescriptions you are taking

It is useful to carry this record with you every time you see your doctor because your memory may fail you.

Be an Informed Patient  

You should be proactive in your treatment; you shouldn't just state your symptoms, wait for the diagnosis and take your medicine. Instead, you should carry out some research about your condition. Do this by:

  • Reading about your illness in reputable publications (online or physical libraries)
  • Asking about your treatment's side effects
  • Asking about drug interactions with other drugs, drinks or food

Making Follow Ups

You shouldn't assume that your doctor is done with you after writing the prescription. You should ask:

  • when to come back for further check up
  • which signs may necessitate emergency care
  • what to expect when taking your medicines
  • what to do in case you don't experience any change

These measures will help your doctor, but they may not rule out all the risks of getting a misdiagnosis. If you do experience a misdiagnosis, then you should get medical help as soon as possible to remedy the error. After that, you can consult a medical malpractice attorney such as R.J. Marzella & Associates, P.C. to evaluate your case and help you decide if you have a viable claim.


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About Me

winter injuries - file a personal injury lawsuit?

You are walking down the sidewalk on a brisk winter day and before you know it, you are clobbered by an avalanche of snow that has fallen from the roof above. Although this may be funny to watch on videos, it is never an experience that anyone wants to endure. Serious injuries are sustained every single winter because of the neglect of property maintenance by business and home owners. My husband was seriously injured by a snow avalanche off of a roof and we were left with no choice but to hire an injury attorney to help us recover his lost wages and enough money to pay for the medical treatments he will need for the next several years. My site contains advice and information that can help you get through the legal process of a personal injury lawsuit.