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:


General principle drawn from your analysis of this case:

Answer:


For answers to the quiz above, and a short discussion of the case, click here.

Issue:

How can patient treatment and instruction endanger or protect non-patients?

Clearing paragraph...