Psychiatric Malpractice
Victims of psychiatric malpractice face a difficult battle. Mental health care patients are vulnerable to negligence and wrongdoing by the very nature of their condition. When the do speak up about mistreatment, their complaints are often dismissed or ignored.
Patients with a history of emotional instability, impaired judgment, or erratic behavior are easily taken advantage of by the mental health system. Due to the stigma of mental illness, those capable of speaking up for themselves often lack the courage, feeling that no one will believe their claims.
Psychiatric malpractice is a very real form of medical malpractice, which can have devastating mental, emotional, and physical consequences. Psychiatric malpractice can be deadly. It should never be ignored.
Informed Consent
Mental health care patients have the legal right to be informed of the risks and benefits of undergoing or choosing not to undergo a treatment. Just like any other type of patient, they have the right to refuse!
Unfortunately, many patients, their loved ones, and the general public are under the impression that the right of informed consent does not apply to mental health patients.
What constitutes psychiatric malpractice?
Mental health care providers have a duty to treat their patients with dignity, provide adequate care, and prevent harm. Unsuccessful does not in and of itself constitute malpractice. Psychiatric malpractice includes:
Tags: Health Car, Malpractice Victims, Medical Malpractice, Mental Health Care, Stigma Of Mental Illness