Medical Malpractice in Seguin: What is Informed Consent?

The chameleonic nature of malpractice claims means that there are thousands of different ways that the negligence of a medical professional can wreak havoc on your life. Especially in regions with a heavy military presence, like Seguin and Central Texas, there are hundreds of cases every year of military medical malpractice in which soldiers were administered faulty treatment for their injuries. Medical malpractice is also one of the most common causes of birth injuries and cerebral palsy in mothers and infants. These are just some of the countless ways malpractice can affect the lives of those who require medical treatment.

If you live in Seguin, Texas, and have questions about medical malpractice in Seguin, such as what is informed consent, look no further than the assistance of an experienced lawyer from Carabin Shaw. One of our experienced Seguin medical malpractice attorneys will help you determine whether your physician has breached their ‘duty of care’, especially if they have failed to provide you with the chance to make significant health decisions, a concept known as informed consent.

When providing diagnoses, offering alternatives, or discussing treatment options, medical professionals in Seguin must ensure that the patient has been thoroughly informed of their situation and the possible risks and outcomes of suggested treatments. It is imperative that the patient or guardian who agrees to treatment have a full and coherent understanding of the predicament. For a doctor’s effort to educate his or her patient to constitute ‘informed consent,’ a few elements must be present:

• Language: The information must be conferred in language and terms that are easily comprehensible to those outside the medical profession, in abundant and extensive detail.
• Ability to comprehend: Informed consent also implies that the patient is of at least sound enough mind to understand the information supplied by the physician. The term ‘sound mind’ typically extends to anybody who is not directly affected by mental illness or other potential decision-making disadvantages.
• Ability to communicate: Once the ‘informed’ part has been established, either the patient, legal guardian, or someone with power of attorney must consent to the proceedings in question.

The matter of consent is important especially when treatment options pose potential risks or uncertain outcomes which may or may not work as planned. If the approach still seems to be the best course of action according to the physician, the medical staff owes the patient a full breakdown of all risks and rewards of treatment options.

A physician must also provide their patients ample time to ask questions, inquire about specifics, and discuss with loved ones about the best options among those listed. Patients must be able to use the information provided to make the decision they feel is in their best interest. If a patient feels that information has been withheld or skewed for any reason, the first thing that patient can do is ask questions and reach out to an attorney. Proactivity can hold medical diagnoses accountable in such a way that could save a life.

As a witness to medical malpractice in any form, the more you know, the better your overall knowledge of the patient’s situation. This can help to successfully identify medical professionals who have failed to uphold their end of the doctor–patient agreement. Access a patient’s vitals can be a useful part of informed consent, as the information from these readings can indicate changes of which the doctor should be aware.

If you can detect these changes on your own, that information could be a sign that not everything has been fully disclosed. The top five vital signs to watch in hospital, which when used to detect malpractice can strengthen your claim as tangible evidence, are as follows:

• Blood Pressure: Blood pressure readings indicate how much pressure is being placed on the walls of the patient’s blood vessels. It is also a way to monitor the presence or progress of internal bleeding.
• Fluid Intake/Outtake: This includes monitoring blood flow and bleeding, as well as waste levels. Irregularities in waste output can also be used to detect the possibility of internal bleeding.
• Creatinine/BUN (Kidney Readings): Readings that measure kidney function through waste and urine analysis, including the presence of blood, which is always a bad sign.
• Sp02 (Blood Oxygenation): Oxygen content of the blood; anything between 90%-100% is considered stable; if the number drops anywhere below 90%, oxygen deprivation can affect organ functions.
• PT/PTT/NIR (Blood-clot Vitals): Vitals which indicate the blood’s ability to clot, including blood thickness changes based on medication intake.

If you live in Seguin and find yourself amid the confusing aftermath of medical malpractice in Seguin, what is informed consent and other questions must be properly addressed. Fortunately, Seguin medical malpractice  attorneys from Carabin Shaw are here for you.

Call us anytime, day or night, toll-free at 800-682-1260. Our team of lawyers even offer our future clients a preliminary consultation, free of charge, to help make you aware of your best options moving forward. We also provide bilingual attorneys for Spanish-speaking clients. Don’t let your health hang in the balance until it’s too late; contact Carabin Shaw today.