MEDICAL LAWSUITS FOR COMPENSATION: ARE DOCTORS SOFT TARGETS ?

Doctors save the patient, but save yourself also.

In an era, when family members, brothers and sisters fight for money among themselves, it will be naive to think that idea of extracting money from the doctor does not exist. With courts giving millions in compensation, lawyers are ready to fight cases on zero fee and divide the booty later. There may be many relatives, lawyers who are ready to try their luck, sometimes in vengeance and sometimes for the  money received in compensations. This encouragement and instigation of lawsuit against doctors is becoming a major disadvantage to doctors. Here is a news from a paper showing the problem.

Dentist accused of botching up an implant, produces video of complainant feasting at gurudwara langar: Senior citizen claims Rs 35 lakh from her dentist saying her implant was botched up and she was unable to eat; the doctor produces a video of her feasting at a gurudwara langar; cops close case.

In this case the doctors was really smart and lucky. The doctor was able to generate some evidence .  but  most of the time, things lie in grey zone and it becomes very difficult for the doctor to defend. Unfortunately  sympathy of the court and public sentiments runs against doctors . Thanks to media and celebrities for the  negative and  campaign against medical profession.

Many a times problems are just part of genuine poor prognosis or just bad course of disease or simply complications of the treatment.  Public has failed to realize that during treatment of  human body, complications  are inevitable and will always happen.  Retrospective analysis and wisdom of hindsight, always throws better light. But during treatment all this luxury is not available to doctor. Genuine complications can be easily labeled as mistakes of the  treating doctor. Unfortunately, if there is a lawsuit against a doctor, he will be wasting all his time with lawyers and courts, which will takes years to sort out.

Problem is that, there is no deterrent for patients to put cases on a doctor. Even when  case is  just with a intention to harm, revenge or extortion. Harassment of the doctor is full and permanent, even if he is not at fault. Lawyers and patient’s  relatives can always have a field day, at the cost of doctors. Society may be slow to anticipate their long term loss at present.  Till that time, doctors will have to  find ways to save themselves, as this doctor did!