As a doctor, your reputation is key when gaining a patient’s trust. That’s why an accusation of medical malpractice can be one of the greatest detriments to your career. With 15,000-19,000 malpractice suits being filed every year, here are just some of the ways to avoid being part of the statistics and to preserve your reputation against all complaints.
Keep Your Emotions in Check
When your reputation and best intentions are being questioned or even attacked by former patients, the worst thing you can do is respond in kind. Too many doctors focus their efforts on the court of public opinion and not enough on the actual judiciary, so keeping a calm demeanor in the face of the allegations will show the medical board (and future patients) that you take these accusations seriously. Remember: just because a complaint has been submitted to the medical board does not mean it will be deemed valid. In fact, 30.8% of medical complaints were dismissed by Texas boards in 2016 alone.
Start Your Preparations Early
As soon as you get the notification of the complaint, contact your liability carrier immediately to have your claims adjuster and claim attorneys working on your case as quickly as possible. Doctors generally have 30 days to respond to a medical board complaint, so take that time to carefully build your case and gather any important documents, notes, or testimonies.
Choose the Right Attorney
Choosing the right defense attorney is also critical to your case, as they can properly navigate important legal routes. While administrative attorneys may be familiar with your institution and may have worked with your colleagues in the past, their need to maintain positive relationships with boards for future cases may keep them from handling your defense aggressively. Criminal attorneys have the experience to deal with your case ambitiously and show the plaintiff that you mean business.
Don’t be caught off-guard by a medical complaint that could put your career in jeopardy—call the experienced attorneys of Doyle Schafer McMahon today at 949-727-7077 or email us at jtucker@dsmllp.com to preserve your hard-earned reputation.
