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What should I do if I learn my doctor was sued?

On Behalf of | Aug 30, 2018 | Medical Malpractice

We want our Louisiana doctors to be the most competent and qualified people to handle our health care. However, if you should find out that your doctor has been sued in the past, you will naturally be worried and wonder if you should continue your relationship with that doctor. In the event you do uncover past instances of medical lawsuits, you should keep a few things in mind before looking for a new doctor.

According to Forbes, lawsuits are a common occurrence in American society. Professionals are sued for many reasons, and doctors are no exception. Sometimes the suits are frivolous and without merit. So a good first step is to find out why your doctor was sued. You might also find that the suit was dropped by the plaintiff before it reached trial, or the suit was dismissed by the court.

Also, the fact that your doctor was sued does not mean the suit was about medical malpractice. Sometimes a lawsuit does not involve medical treatment and relates instead to administrative or bureaucratic issues. For instance, a doctor could be sued on account of not renewing a medical license at the required time. Also, some doctors may have accumulated student loan debts while they attended medical school. If a doctor runs into financial trouble and cannot pay the debts, the doctor could be sued for that as well.

There are red flags that can tell you if your doctor’s legal history is troublesome. For one thing, if your doctor has been sued multiple times in recent years, it may indicate a pattern of problematic behavior on the part of your doctor. You might also discover that your doctor settled for big payouts to the plaintiffs. If your physician seems to have this problem a lot, it may be the result of terrible luck, but there could be a good reason why your doctor seems to invite constant litigation.

When all is said and done, the final decision to go with a physician rests with you. You are in command of your health care choices and you must do what you feel is best to avoid any problems with your health care. Your best course of action is to request all the information you can about your treatment and the medicine you will be prescribed, and if you feel it is necessary, you can also ask for a second opinion. Gathering information and asking questions can help reduce the risk that something will go amiss with your health care.

Keep in mind that while this article provides information on medical malpractice issues, it does not convey any legal advice to readers.