Errors that occur during a serious procedure can cause severe psychological problems for survivors. Here the medical malpractice attorneys at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos discuss post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in relation to medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice can be defined as an act or omission by a physician during treatment of a patient that deviates from accepted norms of practice in the medical community and causes an injury to the patient. When such acts and omissions happen during a serious procedure such as waking up during surgery, a patient may develop PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The trauma one faces can have a lasting effect for several years.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a psychological condition that can develop after a traumatic event. Previously mostly associated with individuals that have served in the military, research shows that it can develop from a variety of incidents. The condition can last for months to years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by fierce physical and emotional reactions.
PTSD does require a medical diagnosis. The symptoms range from mild to severe. Some of the symptoms include:
- Nightmares
- Agitation
- Hostility
- Hypervigilance
- Severe anxiety
- Guilt
- Insomnia
- Loneliness
- Self-destructive behavior etc.
Medical Malpractice and PTSD
When a patient undergoes a serious procedure, they trust their doctor and medical team with their health and wellbeing before, during and after it takes place. If your doctor or a member of their teams’ recklessness or negligence caused an incident to occur which led you to develop PTSD, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim.
In medical malpractice cases claiming PTSD as the result of negligence or professional wrongdoing, the plaintiff’s claims will typically rely on expert testimony. To establish that a patient suffered from PTSD because of their healthcare provider’s action or inaction, an expert witness, like a psychiatrist, may be brought in to convince the court of your injury, causation and need for recoverable damages.
If you or a loved one has been seriously impacted emotionally, psychologically or physically following a medical mistake by a healthcare professional during or directly after childbirth, surgery or any medical procedure, contact the medical malpractice attorneys at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos. We will make every effort to treat you and your loved ones with the compassion you deserve, while fighting for the compensation you are owed.