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It goes without saying that when doctors make mistakes, the life of their patients can or will never be the same again. Although all doctors are obliged to follow the set standard for terms of practice, situations do occur when these standards were not met and the patient suffered damage due to this. In situations like these a case of medical negligence or medical malpractice can be made against the doctor.
Yes, nobody is perfect and we are all prone to error at some point in our lives, but a doctor holds the life of a patient in his/her hands. Furthermore, when doctors make mistakes, it doesn’t only affect the patient but the patient’s loved ones too. When such negligence occurs it is within every right of the patient or the patient’s family to seek recourse for the unethical or unprofessional conduct of the doctor.
All doctors must be registered with some sort of association in order to be legally allowed to practice medicine in South Africa. The Health Professions Council of South Africa is the biggest association in the country and some of the allegations that has come before this body corporate includes:
- Cognitive mistakes that leads to misdiagnosis;
- Reporting incorrectly on the patient’s test results;
- Inappropriately treating a condition;
- Not providing appropriate referral for the condition;
- Performing surgery without the necessary care and skill;
- Not providing the patient with sufficient warning of the risks associated with a procedure or treatment; or
- Failing to inform the patient that alternative treatments or procedures are available.
ust like prevention is better than cure, it would always be advisable that you need to feel comfortable with your chosen doctor. As trust is the most important factor in a doctor/patient relationship, you must feel like you can trust your doctor’s judgement and that he/she will be the right one to take care of your family. Make sure that you inform your doctor about your state of health in order for him/her to be able to properly diagnose you. However, as doctors can make mistakes, and you have suffered due to this unfortunate event , contact Adele van der Walt Attorneys. We will assess your case and assist you in filing a case should the situation call upon it.
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