Litigation suits in otorhinolaryngology — Areas of concern

Abstract

The factors that separate an otolaryngology related law suit from others are manifold. The definition of standard of care, the patient's expectation of a surgical outcome and the psychological consequence that results from the surgical complications are unique to this specially. As this specially deals with one of the most sensitive part of a human body, patient's expectations of any treatment is bound to differ from that of the doctor. Unlike other fields, the definition of standard of care is constantly evolving due to continuous introduction and modification of the techniques and instruments. Statistics shows that the most common allegation in law suits relating to this branch is inadequate consent for the proposed treatment followed by wrong techniques used for operation. Negligence in postoperative care, failure to diagnose early and faulty maintenance of medical words are the other major areas that concern a doctor in a court room. The present article aims at reviewing some major problem areas and addressing the legal aspects concerning those areas.