Case Studies - Read & Test
Seizure Causes Vehicular Injury
A patient consulted a physician to diagnose and treat a convulsive disorder. Breakthrough seizures occurred sporadically, but the physician was unable to determine their etiology. When the patient asked about driving, the physician did not warn him of driving hazards for someone with a seizure disorder.
Three months later, the patient had a seizure that rendered him unconscious while driving. As a result, his car struck and injured a pedestrian. The pedestrian sued the physician, charging that he had negligently advised his patient that he could drive a car. The physician contended that his only duty, to his patient, was to properly diagnose and treat his seizure disorder and not to protect other people.
The physician did not meet the standard of care because
he needed to:
Answer:
-
Warn individuals who could be harmed by the patient.
True or False -
Provide the patient with pertinent information about his
disorder. True or False -
Anticipate the public jeopardy if his patient had a seizure
while driving. True or False -
Prevent the patient from having a seizure.
True or False
General principle drawn from your analysis of this case:
Answer:
-
A physician has a duty to advise a patient about the
aspects of a disorder that are not readily discernable,
but could endanger a third party in the future. True or False
For answers to the quiz above, and a short discussion of the case, click here.