If the doctor perforates my colon during a colonoscopy, do I have any legal rights?

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If the doctor perforates my colon during a colonoscopy, do I have any legal rights?

Asked on February 11, 2013 under Malpractice Law, Iowa

Answers:

S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

Medical malpractice is negligence.  Negligence is the failure to exercise due care (that degree of care that a reasonable medical practitioner in the community would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances to prevent foreseeable harm).

It would be advisable to be examined by a second doctor, who could write a medical report supporting your malpractice claim against the first doctor.

Prior to filing a lawsuit against the first doctor, it may be possible to settle the case with the doctor's malpractice insurance carrier.  Your claim filed with the malpractice insurance carrier should include your medical bills, medical reports (especially the medical report from the second doctor), and documentation of any wage loss.  Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement.  The medical reports will document the nature and extent of your injury and will be used to determine compensation for pain and suffering, which is an amount in addition to the medical bills.  Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.  If the case is settled with the first doctor's malpractice insurance carrier, NO lawsuit is filed.  If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers from the first doctor's malpractice insurance carrier, reject the settlement offers and file a lawsuit for negligence against the first doctor.  If the case is NOT settled with the malpractice insurance carrier, you will need to file your lawsuit for negligence against the first doctor prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

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