Plaintiff's attorneys share perspectives on patient communication

Abstract

This article reports that malpractice attorneys representing plaintiffs accept a small percentage of the clients who request legal representation for medical liability claims. Of those cases they do not accept, these attorneys report that a significant motivator for patients seeking legal counsel is poor clinician-patient communication. They cite poor listening skills; delegation of critical consent communication; failure to share timely information with colleagues and nursing personnel; failure to have meaningful, empathetic conversations when adverse outcomes occur; and defensive behavior when patients seek to learn more by questioning diagnoses and treatment options.