It’s normal to be reluctant to sue a medical provider after you’ve been injured. People, yourself included, largely understand that doctors and other medical providers are human and do make mistakes. If they’re willing to admit fault try to fix those mistakes immediately, then it’s sometimes reasonable not to sue.
It’s important to understand that suing is sometimes necessary. For example, if a hospital won’t cover the cost of an operation to repair damage or you have extensive financial losses due to losing time at work or suffering from a disability as a result of the errors, then suing might be your best option.
Why go through with a lawsuit?
Many people don’t want to sue because of the time and effort that it involves. Some believe that having another surgery or receiving a treatment to make them whole is enough and are willing to walk away from the situation knowing what could go wrong.
Suing certainly doesn’t have to be the first option you look into, but there are times when it’s appropriate. Some possible examples include if:
- The medical provider had made serious errors of a similar type in the past but the hospital hired them despite that
- The error was so egregious that it never should have happened, such as a wrong-patient surgery
- The medical provider does not offer to take steps to correct the mistake
- You feel the hospital needs to be penalized for poor safety procedures or a lack of sanitation
There are plenty of reasons why people might be better off suing for medical malpractice, too. For instance, if you sue, you may:
- Receive a larger award than if you’re offered a settlement
- Bring attention to the facility or individual’s failure in the medical community
- Seek compensation for errors that cannot be remedied, such as losing an organ or having the wrong operation performed on you
- Seek compensation for lost wages and other financial damages
While it may seem like an intimidating process, getting an experienced attorney to help you with your case can drastically reduce stress associated and improve your chances of filing a successful lawsuit.