When a New York resident is seriously injured — or loses a loved one — to an alleged mistake made by a doctor, nurse or other hospital personnel, they often file claims against anyone who might have anything to do with the diagnosis and/or treatment. This often includes lab technicians, which means that they might be drawn into a lawsuit as well. If you are a lab tech and have been drawn into such a claim, you need to explore your medical malpractice defense options.
Your work will be scrutinized and your job and reputation could be on the line. Claims often allege that samples were mishandled or that you failed to perform the tests correctly. In addition, it might be claimed that you failed to adequately communicate information to the doctors who needed it in order to make the proper diagnosis or prescribe the proper treatment.
Those claims will need to be thoroughly investigated by your attorney. Once the details of the alleged incident are determined, a strategy can be devised. In any case, defending against these claims often requires documentation, expert opinions and other evidence that can be presented to the court.
Going to court is not the only option in medical malpractice defense, however. Depending on the circumstances, a settlement might be negotiated, if appropriate. If a settlement is not on the table, your attorney should be prepared to defend you in court, if necessary. Ultimately, the goal is to keep the claims made against you from affecting your life and your career. Whether that is best accomplished through New York’s courts or a settlement is the question.