This question can be a lifesaver if you are about to leave the emergency room with a diagnosis of a mild condition, when you went there in the first place because you were worried it might be something serious.
“Doctor, are you sure I don’t have ____[whatever it was that worried you] ?” [And if he says yes, ask this one.] “How did you determine I don’t have it?”
Know this: You can have a benign, mild medical problem AND ALSO have something serious and life-threatening AT THE SAME TIME. Many emergency doctors make a fatal mistake – fatal for the patient, not for the doctor – when they diagnose a patient as very likely having a mild condition, when they have not yet made sure the patient does not have a life-threatening problem. Even if the doctor is statistically correct that the odds of a mild problem (example: upset stomach causing heartburn and chest pain) are much higher than the odds of a serious condition (same chest pain but caused by heart attack), that is not a bet any patient wants to take, until the doctor has done all the tests reasonably possible to rule out the serious condition.
Consult with an Experienced Malpractice Attorney
If you believe you or a family member has been seriously injured from medical malpractice, medical error, or neglect by a doctor, hospital, nurse, clinic, nursing home or other health care provider, you may want to click here to contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney for a free evaluation of your case. You can also email us at info@patrickmalonelaw.com or call us at 202-742-1500 or 888-625-6635 toll-free. We will respond within 24 hours. There is no charge for our initial consultation.
