If you’ve been injured or have become ill due to the negligence of a healthcare professional, you are likely feeling frustrated and confused and don’t know where to turn. After all, we’ve been conditioned to think that doctors, nurses, and others in the healthcare profession are dedicated to improving and saving lives. While this is most often the case, there are some instances when a medical professional makes a mistake that leads to a traumatic event. If you are the victim of one of these mistakes, you deserve compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and any time you had to take off work.

Not sure if you need a medical malpractice attorney? Here are five signs you have a valid claim and should get in touch with one immediately. 

01. You Did Not Consent to Your Treatment 

All risks and potential side effects or complications of any type of treatment should be thoroughly explained to you by your doctor. Once you are thoroughly informed and know what to expect, you can give your consent to the treatment. If there was a lack of informed consent or your doctor did not fully explain the treatment to you and you suffered harm as a result of it, you likely have a medical malpractice claim. 

02. Your Treatment Doesn’t Make Sense or Is Not Working

In some cases, a doctor will prescribe medications with severe side effects or will order an invasive surgery for a non serious medical condition. This—or the opposite if your doctor seems to be treating a major health concern with non-aggressive treatment—are cases of medical malpractice. Even if the right level of treatment is ordered, it may still be medical malpractice if that treatment seems to be doing nothing to improve your condition.

03. You Get a Second Opinion With a Different Diagnosis

Misdiagnosis is a common reason why people file medical malpractice claims. It’s always wise to get a second opinion if you’ve been diagnosed with a major medical problem—especially one that requires surgery or other aggressive treatment. If your second opinion differs from the first—and especially if treatment of the wrong condition would have caused you harm—you likely have grounds for a claim. 

04. A Mistake Was Made During Surgery 

A mistake made during surgery—whether it was admitted to by the doctor after the procedure or you discover it yourself—is a common reason patients file medical malpractice claims. Be on the lookout for new symptoms following surgery as this could mean a medical instrument was left inside during your surgery or another type of mistake was made.

05. Your Medical Professional Did Not Follow Up

Your doctor or someone on his healthcare team should always follow up with you after seeing you to determine if further tests are needed to confirm or disprove a diagnosis. If no follow-up was made, you could easily develop a condition that leads to further harm and have cause for a lawsuit.

Finding the Right Medical Malpractice Attorney 

If you have experienced one of these signs or have another reason to believe you deserve compensation from a medical professional, reach out to an experienced medical malpractice attorney. He or she can review your case and let you know if you should proceed with a claim.