Patient abandonment is a serious form of
medical malpractice that occurs when a confidential and trusted doctor-patient relationship
is ended without sufficient notice or a legitimate excuse, and the patient
is left without someone to provide medical care for them. Understanding
patient abandonment is important and can allow those who were left without
medical care to receive the important treatment they deserve. If you are
wondering if you may have been a victim of patient abandonment, medical
negligence, or medical malpractice,
contact the Portland attorney at The Law Offices of Patrick L. Block, P.C. as soon as possible.
There must be a few elements present in order to bring a patient abandonment
case against a doctor for failing to treat you, such as:
- Establishing the existence of a doctor-patient relationship;
- The patient was in current need of medical attention;
- The patient was unable to find a suitable replacement due to the quickness
of the abandonment; and
- The patient suffered an injury in direct relation to the doctor’s
abandonment.
The best way to prove patient abandonment is by working with a medical
malpractice attorney that is experienced in cases such as this. Since
the establishment of a patient abandonment case relies heavily on facts,
a lawyer will be best equipped to pull all of this information together
and fight for your right to maximum compensation.
When can a doctor be liable for patient abandonment?
While there are a number of reasons a doctor may find themselves ending
their relationship with a patient for a legitimate reason, patient abandonment
occurs when there is not a sufficient excuse to justify ending the doctor-patient
relationship.
Patient abandonment occurs when:
- A doctor does not treat a patient that has failed to pay a bill
- A doctor is unavailable when a patient is in need of care for an extensive time
- Improper staffing in the care facility the patient is located in
- An necessary appointment is scheduled too far in the future
- Hospitals do not follow up with patients that are in need of care
- Questions between the patient and the doctor are not properly conveyed.
If any of the above have happened to you or a loved one, you may be entitled
to compensation. Our firm will examine whether the doctor had a valid
reason to end the relationship and how we can best proceed with your case.
When your health and safety are on the line, you cannot afford to mess around.
Schedule a free consultation to speak with a member of our team and learn how we can help you!