The Unique Malpractice Risks That Affect Our Elders
Last updated on September 30, 2024
When a young adult or child suffers harm while seeking care or treatment at a hospital, people often wonder what happened to cause it and if malpractice was a factor. If an elderly person experiences the same harm, too many people simply write it off as something that comes with old age. Medical malpractice poses additional risks to someone in their golden years, and a skilled malpractice attorney can help you or your loved one recover from it.
At Howell Law Firm, PC, we have secured multimillion-dollar settlements for over 25 years. We proudly help people of all ages throughout Southwest Georgia with their malpractice claims, and we are ready to help you. One of the key steps in identifying medical malpractice during elder care is knowing what to look for, and we want to help you understand the unique risks.
How Malpractice Can Threaten Elders
With advanced-age patients, it can be easy to take their health for granted. This cavalier attitude toward these patients can result in malpractice caused by factors such as:
- Complicated medical needs – As people age, they often experience multiple ailments at the same time, causing doctors to fail to accommodate those unique needs.
- Polypharmacy issues – With multiple ailments come multiple treatments. Two prescriptions that conflict with each other can be deadly for a patient.
- Communication difficulties – Poor sight, hearing or speech abilities in a patient can cause a communication breakdown, but it is the doctor’s responsibility to ensure they have the information they need from the patient as well as that the patient understands the details of their situation.
- Higher vulnerabilities – Elderly patients often are not able to withstand the same harsh treatments that younger patients can take on. If a health care professional is too aggressive with their treatment, it can cause more harm than good.
- Ageism – If a health care provider has an inherent bias toward the elderly, they may not provide the standard of care they owe all of their patients, causing older patients to be at risk under their care.
No matter how you or your loved one suffered from malpractice due to age, the liable party needs to be held accountable for their actions and the current and future costs of those consequences. We want to be the ones who help you through your medical malpractice claim.
Let Us Care For Your Needs
When health care professionals fail to meet the unique needs of an elderly patient, the consequences can be devastating. We are prepared to stand by your side throughout your compensation claim to help you move forward after your incident.
Call our Georgia offices at 229-808-8105 or email us here to schedule your initial consultation today and begin crafting your personalized representation strategy today.