Why you might ask? Aren’t Canadians just as injured in a medical malpractice case as an American? The majority of doctors in Canada are defended by the Canadian Medical Protection Association (CMPA), an organization with a great deal of influence and a great deal of money. With billions of dollars in assets, the CMPA dedicates itself to standing by their doctors. The organization uses its vast financial resources to hire the best in defence lawyers and experts to defend doctors accused medical of malpractice in a medical lawsuit.
Victims of these malpractice lawsuits, however, are already struggling financially from their injuries, medical expenses, ongoing rehabilitation, medical care and lost wages. Consequently, the financial challenge a medical lawsuit would entail just isn’t worth it to the average medical malpractice victim. A seemingly insurmountable challenge, a medical lawsuit against a CMPA member is doomed to failure.
Defences that doctors use to defend a medical malpractice lawsuit include:
• Forseeablility – Doctors are commissioned with a duty to protect their patients from foreseeable dangers and risks. However, doctors frequently allege that the outcome of a particular medical procedure was an unforeseeable consequence of the treatment and thus have a defence.
• The Patient Contributed To Or Caused The Injury – This defence makes the case that a patient did not follow the doctor’s medical instructions or advice.
• The Risk Was A Recognized One – This defence is used when a doctor explains the risks of a procedure and the patient gives what amounts to informed consent. What happens here, is that the doctor claims he/she is not responsible for a particular patient’s injury because the risk was covered in the information given to the patient upfront and the patient chose to take the risk.
• The Injury Was Caused By Another – As the defendant in a medical lawsuit, doctors routinely place blame on faulty equipment, hospital staff incompetency, or the treatment of other doctors.
• The Injury Was A Pre-Existing One – This defence claims that the patient had a previous condition or injury that contributed or caused the one for which the medical lawsuit has been filed.
A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Requires An Experienced Lawsuit Lawyer
Pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit is not for the faint of heart. Before filing a medical lawsuit, make sure you have engaged an experienced Canadian medical malpractice lawsuit lawyer and have all your medical documentation in hand.
If you’re searching for additional information on medical malpractice lawsuits in Canada, don’t