Medical malpractice cases are some of the most complex personal injury claims to pursue. This is mainly because most of the victims are not sure whether their injuries were a result of a doctor’s negligence or due to their own error. In fact, some patients do not even realize that they have a case and believe their injuries to be a side effect or complication. 

This is why informed consent is important. Educating the patient about informed consent allows them to understand whether the doctor or hospital staff would be liable in case something goes wrong during or after the treatment. If you or your loved one were victimized by a healthcare provider’s errors, speak to an Atlanta Medical malpractice attorney today. 

What is meant by informed consent?

Before you receive any treatment from a healthcare provider, it is their duty to ensure you what you can expect from the treatment. They should educate you about every step of the process, the possible side effects and complications you might experience, the potential risks of the treatment, the recovery plan, aftercare instructions, and other necessary details. 

Once you have all the information you need to know, your healthcare provider is supposed to ask for your consent before beginning the treatment. This ensures that whatever your decision may be, it is an informed one. The authorization is called informed consent. The problem occurs when the healthcare provider fails to inform the patient about essential details, making their consent void. 

Are there any exceptions to the informed consent law?

In certain emergency situations, the doctors and healthcare providers may not have enough time on their hands to ask for the patient’s consent before beginning the treatment. This may be when the patient is unconscious or unable to understand the details and needs immediate treatment to escape a life-threatening situation. However, there are strict legal and ethical guidelines about these exceptional situations. 

How informed consent impacts medical malpractice cases 

After you go home after your treatment and experience something unusual, you may just assume that it is a side effect of the treatment. While temporary side effects are common after many procedures, the problem is later discovered to be the healthcare professional’s negligence in many cases. 

It can be difficult for the average person to understand whether the medical provider was at fault or it was a natural complication. Regardless, you cannot trust your own judgment when it comes to your health. You should seek a second medical opinion immediately. 

If you are a victim of medical malpractice, call an attorney today.