October 2017 - Page 3 of 3

Medical malpractice can take a variety of forms. In some cases, it is obvious – a surgical procedure is done incorrectly, and the patient suffers harm as a result. In other cases, it is not as overt. A doctor may fail to follow up with a patient, may fail to review a test result, or may fail to prescribe the right follow-up medication or test.

A failure of a doctor to follow up can lead to catastrophic injuries by the patient or even death. In some cases, a doctor will order a test, but the laboratory will fail to complete the test, or will not send back the results, and the doctor fails to notice. Another common scenario involves the laboratory sending back the lab results to the doctor’s office, but the results are lost in mounds of papers. Unless the doctor or staff follows up, and specifically calls the lab, the patient can fall through the cracks. Most doctors have some type of system that manages follow up, but some do not, and those systems can fail.

It’s critical that patients take an active lead in their medical care. If a doctor orders a test, if the patient doesn’t hear anything the patient should not assume that means that it is good news. If the patient is having symptoms that do not go away, even after the visit to the doctor, the patient should follow up.

If you have been harmed because a doctor failed to follow up on your test results, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

Hit and run accidents, in which the driver of a vehicle hits another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist and then flees the scene, can be among the worst types of automobile accidents. Not only has the driver caused injuries and damaged the property of another person, but also left the scene, leaving the accident victims without taking any responsibility.

There are some legal options available for the victims of hit and run accidents. It is much easier now than ever before to find hit and run drivers using surveillance cameras, the internet, and other tools. Fortunately, even if the driver is never found, the victim may be able to recover damages through an uninsured motorist claim with his or her own automobile insurance company.

Under California law, no driver involved in an accident should leave the scene if an injury has occurred. Even so, it’s been estimated that about 10 percent of all car accidents involve hit and run drivers. There are a number of reasons those drivers may flee. The driver may have been intoxicated or driving without a driver’s license or insurance. They may not be in the country legally, or could have simply panicked.

If the responsible driver for a hit and run accident is never found, the victim can still pursue financial compensation through his or her own insurance policy, if the policy has uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage can pay for medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and even pain and suffering, depending on the terms of the policy.

Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles automobile accident attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

Month:

My doctor failed to follow up on my test results and as a result I was harmed. Can I sue the doctor for allowing me to fall between the cracks?

What can I legally do if I have been the victim of a hit and run accident in Los Angeles?