Patients have the right to understand the medical treatments and procedures. If a medical provider performed a procedure or treatment without informing you of the risks, you may have a medical malpractice claim related to any injuries that resulted from this omission. The Las Cruces medical malpractice attorneys at Coates & Johnson can help you prove your case and recover compensation for your financial and emotional losses.
We have decades of experience representing injured patients in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We’re ready to help you. Contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your legal options.
Why Choose Coates & Johnson for Your Las Cruces Medical Malpractice Case?
Medical malpractice cases involving lack of informed consent often require careful investigation from a law firm that knows what information providers are supposed to relay and what can happen when they don’t. Coates & Johnson can help you get answers.
Clients in Las Cruces, NM, choose us because:
- We only practice medical malpractice law; we’ve handled thousands and thousands of cases.
- Our team has decades of experience and features a lawyer who is also a physician.
- Every case receives personalized attention from our founding attorneys from beginning to end.
- We offer contingency fees that make legal representation easily affordable.
If you have questions about a medical procedure that resulted in unexpected harm, contact Coates & Johnson to discuss your situation with an experienced Las Cruces lack of informed consent attorney.
Should I Hire an Attorney After a Lack of Informed Consent Incident In Las Cruces?
Claims involving lack of informed consent can be difficult to prove without legal and medical expertise. These cases do not simply involve whether a complication occurred. Instead, they center on whether the patient was properly informed about the risks and alternatives before agreeing to the treatment.
Not surprisingly, healthcare providers and hospitals often argue that patients were properly informed or that complications were unavoidable.
An attorney can assist by:
- Reviewing medical records and consent documentation
- Evaluating whether the risks of a procedure were adequately explained
- Consulting medical experts about what information a reasonably careful provider would have disclosed
- Determining whether a reasonable patient would have declined or chosen a different treatment option if fully informed
- Identifying all healthcare providers involved in recommending or performing the treatment
In essence, your trusted lack of informed consent lawyer in Las Cruces will help you determine whether a provider failed to meet the legal requirements for informed consent and left you with an injury or worsened condition.
What Is Informed Consent?
Informed consent requires a healthcare provider to explain a proposed medical treatment or procedure before moving forward.
The provider must discuss the nature of the treatment, the potential risks and benefits, any reasonable alternatives, and the risks associated with declining treatment. Only after receiving this information can a patient make a voluntary decision about whether to proceed.
Many medical treatments require informed consent, including:
- Surgical procedures
- Diagnostic tests involving invasive techniques
- Administration of anesthesia
- Prescription of certain medications with significant risks
- Medical procedures that carry known complications
- Treatments that may affect long-term health or fertility
Of course, emergencies may limit the time available for detailed discussions. Nonetheless, providers are generally required to obtain consent whenever reasonably possible.
What Can I Do If My Medical Provider Did Not Obtain Informed Consent?
If a healthcare provider failed to obtain informed consent before performing a treatment or procedure, you may have the right to pursue a medical malpractice claim to recover compensation for any injuries that resulted.
You may be able to seek compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses related to the injury
- Future medical care
- Costs of additional treatment or corrective procedures
- Lost income or diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Wrongful death damages in fatal cases
Patients deserve clear and honest information before making decisions about their medical care. If you weren’t informed, negligent facilities and providers should pay the price — not you.
Contact a Las Cruces Lack of Informed Consent Lawyer
If you believe you were harmed because a medical provider failed to obtain informed consent, Coates & Johnson can help you evaluate your legal options. We have extensive experience handling malpractice claims of all types; we’re ready to help you get justice.
Contact us today at (575) 449-3143 to schedule a free consultation with an esteemed Las Cruces lack of informed consent lawyer and learn more about your rights under New Mexico law.