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Hospital Malpractice Lawyer Salt Lake City UT
Treatment Refusal Explained by a Hospital Malpractice Lawyer Salt Lake City UT Offers
Can a Patient be Refused Medical Treatment if They Don’t Have Insurance?
Some people don’t have medical insurance for any number of reasons. Whether it is too expensive or they are waiting for their new health coverage to begin, they may be caught off guard and without insurance when they are injured. They may wonder if they can even seek treatment if they aren’t covered. However, in cases where a person’s life is in danger if they do not get medical treatment, a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT might tell you it’s illegal for the physician to refuse to offer treatment.
If this describes your situation, a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT from Rasmussen & Miner may be able to file an injury claim on your behalf. A successful claim against the health provider who illegally refused to treat you could result in a substantial settlement. If they refuse to offer you fair compensation for the aggravated health concerns they caused you, and possibly your pain and suffering, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Call us today for a free consultation with a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT who can provide you with more information.
The Right of Physicians to Not Provide Treatment
Under certain circumstances, doctors may have a legal right to refuse patients, but each state has different regulations regarding the refusal of medical treatment. Without the guidance of a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT from Rasmussen & Miner it is impossible to say with certainty how the laws affect your case.
If you were turned away from a doctor or medical facility because you don’t have insurance, you may be able to take legal action pending legal advice from a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT from our firm. Further, if your condition worsened after being refused emergency treatment, you may be entitled to additional compensation from the doctor or facility.
What is the Right to Refuse?
Doctors do have the right to refuse in some cases. In certain instances, a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT may determine that this is valid in some cases. The most commonly accepted reasons for refusal of medical care include:
- The patient is not actually ill.
- The doctor perceives the patient as dangerous.
- A patient is addicted to a drug and is seeking treatment only to get narcotics.
- In a non-emergency, a doctor can refuse to take on new patients at their medical practice.
A patient may not be refused care, but may be made to wait so long that they leave. They may consider this long wait a denial of treatment. In this scenario, a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT might tell you:
- Emergency cases are prioritized in emergency rooms before other cases even if you were there first.
- Lesser injuries are put aside to deal with more serious injuries first and foremost which can lead to longer waiting periods.
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
The act requires all medical facilities and doctors to see a patient in active labor or who is suffering from a medical emergency even if the patient cannot pay for treatment. This is usually applicable to homeless people who seek emergency medical care. While a doctor has the right to refuse patients under certain circumstances, they cannot refuse someone suffering from serious or life-threatening injuries despite the patient’s lack of medical insurance coverage or their inability to pay for treatment. Talk to a hospital malpractice lawyer in Salt Lake City UT from our firm to discover your legal rights as they pertain to your situation.
A Hospital Malpractice Lawyer in Salt Lake City Ut Who Cares
If you believe you were unreasonably denied medical care, contact our office today. We can determine whether or not your care was denied illegally and if the doctor or facility was negligent in doing so. Request a free consultation with a hospital malpractice lawyer Salt Lake City UT residents rely on from Rasmussen & Miner.