Physician assistants (PA) play a valuable role in the overall healthcare system by working with physicians to deliver care. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to the negligence of a physician’s assistant, you may be able to recover compensation for your harm. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our reputable Syracuse medical malpractice lawyers can analyze the facts of your case and make sure you understand your legal rights and options.
A Nevada physician assistant who was dubbed a “danger to public health” is in serious trouble. While A.L. is not a doctor, she is facing 18-new counts of alleged disreputable conduct and medical malpractice. These charges are based on A.L.’s conduct from 2012.
A.L. allegedly falsified records, overprescribed dangerous drugs and even used expired and black-market medications. When she lost her medical license, she found new ways to keep practicing. Earlier this month, she pleaded guilty in district court to prescribing controlled substances using the stolen DEA number of her former supervising physician. In addition, A.L. performed medical services on her own that she was not allowed to perform without supervision from a doctor.
The state Board of Medical Examiners have accused A.L. of prescribing excessive amounts of opiates to three patients, one of whom died from an overdose. The board also filed a complaint against A.L.’s supervising physician, stating the doctor failed to do her job, which in turn threatened the lives and safety of patients. Specifically, the complaint said that A.L. provided “improper patient care” and the supervising doctor should have intervened.
Physician assistants are highly skilled healthcare professionals who provide a broad range of medical services. Under the supervision of a physician, PAs take histories, conduct physical examinations, order and interpret tests, diagnose and treat illnesses, advise patients on preventative care and may even assist in surgery. PAs hves much more training than most nurses or nurse practitioners and, as such, have more responsibility when it comes to diagnoses and patients.
Physician’s assistant malpractice is generally defined as a deviation from the accepted standards of care, causing emotional injury, physical injury or death to a patient under his or her care. The standard of care refers to the level of care that a reasonably competent physician assistant would have used in the same or a similar situation. In order to establish malpractice, you would need to demonstrate the following elements: i) the PA owed you a duty of care; ii) the PA breached the duty of care owed to you; and iii) you suffered a preventable injury as a direct result of the PA’s breach.
Oftentimes, we rely on a wide range of healthcare providers for medical care, including physician assistants. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of a physician’s assistant, you need to reach out to a skilled Syracuse medical malpractice attorney who can assist you and your family. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, we are committed to resolving these claims for our New York clients in the most efficient and effective way possible. Call us today at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
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