(845) 802-0047Doctors and medical professionals should give patients their undivided attention. However, multitasking is common, and a ringing phone, computer, or tablet may distract a doctor. While this may seem harmless, a doctor’s lack of attention could cause a serious medical error.
Effectively practicing medicine requires healthcare providers give you their undivided attention. Distracted doctoring in a Schenectady medical malpractice case is a serious problem. If a doctor’s distraction led to your injury, allow a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your claim and work to help you recover compensation for your injuries and losses.
The Risks of Distractions During Medical Care
Doctors are expected to provide their patients with competent care. This means providing the same level of reasonable learning and skill that is usually expected from a physician. When a doctor fails to meet this standard because of a distraction, they may be liable for a patient’s injuries in a medical malpractice claim.
Medicine requires an unwavering attention to detail. Even a relatively minor error, such as prescribing the wrong dosage amount for a medication, could result in serious and long-term consequences. If this distraction and error causes an adverse reaction, there may be a cause for legal action against the negligent healthcare provider.
Filing Claims Against Distracted Healthcare Providers in Schenectady
If a distracted doctor causes a patient’s injury, the doctor could be liable for the associated harm. However, there is a limited amount of time patients are eligible to file a medical malpractice claim alleging distracted doctoring in Schenectady.
Under New York Civil Practice Law and Rules Section 214-a, the potential plaintiff in a medical malpractice action has two and a half years from the date of the error to commence an action. If a person files their action outside of this time frame, their case may be dismissed by the court and they may be precluded from recovering compensation for their injuries and losses. Consequently, it is often valuable to have an attorney experienced in medical malpractice laws and distracted doctoring review a claim before filing.
Cell Phone Distraction During Medical Care
The New York Times published an article about the growing concern amongst healthcare professionals about the use of devices and their impact on patient care. In order to understand the growing prevalence of devices and the risk of distractions in medical settings, 439 medical technicians were interviewed in a peer reviewed study.
Of the 439 interviewed technicians, 55 percent admitted to talking on their cell phone during a patient’s heart surgery. The study ultimately concluded that medical distractions such as these had the potential to be disastrous. Patients in Schenectady who suspect their doctor provided care while distracted, whether by a cell phone or other method, should consult a skilled healthcare error attorney.
Do Not Let Distracted Doctoring in a Schenectady Medical Malpractice Case Go Unseen
If you were injured because of a distracted doctor, contact a lawyer to discuss your case. An attorney could help review your claim and determine if you are eligible to seek compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Although distracted doctoring is the cause of many Schenectady medical malpractice cases, it may be valuable to have an attorney help guide you through the complex process of filing a claim.