Medical Malpractice
The relationship between a doctor and a patient is based on trust. A patient trusts his/her medical institution and his/her doctor who is a representative of this institution and believes that everything possible will be done to diagnose the patient as accurately as possible, to choose the most optimal treatment in accordance with established medical protocols and standards of professional ethics.
ילנה גומלסקי עו״ד
It sometimes happens that there appear some problems in the patient-doctor relationship, problems related to a doctor’s incompetence or a negligent service. They are all defined by one term: ‘medical malpractice’.
The reasons why this happens may vary
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doctor’s personal problems;
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doctors work to the point of exhaustion and in difficult work conditions;
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problems caused by failures in the health care system (in particular, the influence pharmaceutical companies have on the health care system, as well as the issues regarding the sale of medicine etc.)
The influence of these factors can lead doctors to depression, burnout, lack of empathy, patient discrimination based on skin colour (racism), age (ageism) or a patient’s financial condition (biased attitudes towards low-income patients).
Negligent treatment or malpractice can result in a serious disability, deterioration of the patient’s current condition, pain and suffering, a loss of working capacity or even a patient’s death. The role of the doctor is not limited to only providing treatment to a patient but doctors are also responsible for a disease diagnosis, a choice of the optimal treatment procedure and medicine, control of the patient’s examination and treatment, and monitor the patient’s recovery etc.
In Israel thousands of medical malpractice claims are filed every year and the average amount of compensation awarded to patients who win the case may amount to tens of thousands of shekels (and sometimes even more). According to the statistics The Ministry of Health, insurance companies and funds pay around a quarter of a billion shekels a year to meet medical malpractice claims.
Our office represents plaintiffs filing cases in medical malpractice caused by junior medical staff, doctors, paramedical and nursing personnel, hospitals, health care funds and The Ministry of Health.
If you or your family members have suffered a medical malpractice, arrange a meeting with us without any further obligation and have your claim assessed by our office.