If I sign a waiver at my doctor’s office, and he or she commits malpractice, can I sue?

Signing a waiver or a consent form does not release your doctor from liability for medical malpractice. It’s very common for doctors to ask patients who are doing to have some type of medical procedure done to sign a waiver. This is done for routine, simple procedures, or invasive medical operations.

The waivers typically say that the doctor has explained your medical problem, lists any alternate treatments available, and the procedure you have chosen. It will normally list all potential risks associated with the procedure. Signing a form like that does not waive your right to sue the doctor for medical malpractice.

If you believe your doctor committed medical malpractice, you must prove that he or she did not use the proper standard of care when performing the procedure, and that you were injured as a result. Simply proving that your procedure did not go as planned is not sufficient for providing medical malpractice. Instead, you must prove that negligence occurred.

You should speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney if you believe that your doctor committed medical malpractice. The attorney can help examine your medical records to help determine if mistakes occurred or if the doctor failed to provide an acceptable level of care.

Call me, California medical malpractice attorney Conal Doyle of Doyle Law at 310-385-0567, if you suffered medical problems as the result of a doctor’s negligence. I will provide you with a free consultation on your case. Call to learn more.