D

• Duty of Care

© By Seattle Municipal Archives from Seattle, WA.

Duty of Care legal definition: Duty of care refers specifically to a doctor’s responsibility toward their patient when they agree to treat them. It upholds a standard for care that should be practiced toward a patient to protect them from unnecessary risk or harm. Any actions that do not uphold this duty of care are generally considered negligent and often lead to medical malpractice lawsuits. 

Duty of Care in Medical Malpractice Cases

When failure to uphold the duty of care results in negligence or medical malpractice and adverse outcomes for a patient, the doctor or practitioner can and should be held liable for the damages that result. Failure to uphold duty of care can give rise to a medical malpractice claim, especially if  the patient can prove that the doctor’s failure led to injury or other economic or non-economic harm.

Contact a Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyer today to review your case: 800-392-4529

Sources:

• https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/duty%20of%20care 
• https://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=599

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