Med Achievers July 2014 | страница 22

In   cases   of   medical   negligence   against   doctors,   the   presence   of   three   ingredients  are  essential  for  establishing   medical  negligence  which  are  as  follows;   • • • The   existence   of   a   duty   to   take   care,  which  is  owed  by  the  doctor   to  the  complainant;     The   failure   to   attain   that   standard   of   care,   prescribed   by   the   law,   thereby   committing   the   breach  of  such  duty;       Damage,   which   is   both   causally   connected   with   such   breach   and   recognized   by   the   law,   has   been   suffered  by  the  complainant.  The   existence   of   a   duty   to   take   care,   which   is   owed   by   the   doctor   to   the  complainant;     When   Does   A   Duty   Arise   And   What   is   The  Duty  Owed?   competent   member   of   the   profession   who   professes   to   have   those   skills   would   exercise   in   the   circumstance   in   question."  It  is  the  requirement  that  the   conduct   of   the   doctor   be   reasonable   and   need   not   necessarily   confirm   to   the   highest  degree  of  care  or  lowest  degree   of   care   and   competence,   but   a   reasonable   degree   of   care   and   competence  is  expected  which  a  rational   person   in   the   said   situation   guided   by   same  skills  and  competence  shall  do.     It   is   used   to   refer   to   what   actually   amounts   to   reasonableness   will   depend   on  given  facts  and  circumstances  at  that   particular   of   time.   Also,   the   Courts   in   India   had   observed   that   what   amounts   to   reasonableness   changes   with   time   and   a   doctor   is   expected   to   constantly   update   its   knowledge   to   meet   that   standard   expected   of   him   while   performing  his  duties.   It   is   well   known   that   a   doctor   owes   a   duty   of   care   towards   his/her   patients.   This   duty   can   either   be   a   contractual   duty   or   a   duty   arising   out   of   tort   law.     The   duty   owed   by   a   doctor   towards   his/her  patients,  is  to  "bring  to  his  task  a   reasonable   degree   of   skill   and   knowledge"   and   to   exercise   "a   reasonable   degree   of   care”   while   performing   his   duties.   The   doctor   should   ensure   that     every   patient   who   comes   to   him/her,   needs   to   be   cured   with  reasonable  care  and  competence.       In  cases  of  medical  negligence,  once  the   existence   of   patient   and   doctor   relationship  has  been  established  which   arises   the   duty   of   care   by   doctors   towards   his/her   patients,   the   patient   suffering   the   injury   need   to   prove   the   Reasonable  Degree  of  Care-­  Meaning   Reasonable   degree   of   care   and   skill   means   that   the   degree   of   care   and   competence   that   an   "ordinary   When  does  the  liability  arises?   The  liability  of  a  doctor  arises  when  the   patient  has  suffered  any  injury  which  is   consequence   of   breach   of   the   duty   by   doctors.   The   probable   cause   for   the   injury   of   the   patient   has   to   be   the   conduct   of   the   medical   practitioner   which   has   fallen   below   the   reasonable   care   and   competence   as   expected   from   any  medical  practitioner  professing  that   skills  and  knowledge.