When someone says they were made the victim of medical malpractice, your mind may go to overt accidents like medication mistakes, failed diagnoses, surgical errors, etc. But you must not forget that, at the end of the day, medical facilities are workplaces with clear distinctions between bosses and employees. So, the type of work environment a doctor fosters for their staff may indirectly yet seriously influence a patient’s safety. With that said, please read on to discover how a doctor’s mistreatment of their staff could affect the care I receive as a patient and how a seasoned New York City medical malpractice lawyer at Mark L. Bodner, P.C., can help hold them accountable for their negligent behaviors and actions.
Can a doctor’s mistreatment of staff affect me as a patient?
Just like most other workplaces and business operations, a medical facility relies heavily on teamwork. And so, achieving adequate teamwork may be more difficult if a doctor creates a hostile work environment for their staff. In such a tense atmosphere, medical errors are more likely, and a patient’s health may be compromised.
In a specific example, say a doctor repeatedly refuses to work with a certain employee due to their protected class (i.e., race, religion, sex, etc). With this inadequate communication, a doctor or employee may not receive the right patient information, causing them to administer the wrong medication, order the wrong medical tests, etc.
Or, say a doctor tends to lose their temper, as seen through yelling, throwing things, slamming doors, etc. This erratic behavior may make employees feel unsafe and quit, creating rapid turnover rates in the office. In turn, the staff that sticks around may experience severe burnout. When this happens, they may lose focus and motivation, overlooking their patient’s needs.
Can I sue a doctor for the damages caused by this mistreatment?
While a doctor may not have mistreated you directly, their harassing behaviors and actions toward their staff may be considered a form of medical negligence. This is because it may have caused them and their staff to deviate from the standard of care established by the New York State medical community, as seen by the examples provided above.
Therefore, as a patient, if a doctor’s manifestation of a hostile work environment caused you harm, and you then incurred damages, you may still have a valid medical malpractice claim against them. You may even attempt to hold a hospital or medical facility accountable if the owners knew, or should have reasonably known, about the doctor’s misconduct.
Corporate liability may be made possible if you can collect evidence of prior complaints or disciplinary actions taken against the doctor in question. Such complaints and actions may have been documented internally by a Human Resources department, taken all the way to the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC), or demonstrated through witness testimonies.
There is no shame in asking for help, especially when you are dealing with something as serious as a legal matter that could affect your physical, emotional, and financial well-being. So please retain legal assistance from a competent New York City medical malpractice lawyer from Mark L. Bodner, P.C. We will happily lend a hand.