The Aftermath of Litigation
Distress is a normal response to abnormal events
Physicians need reassurance that, in most instances, these are commonly shared reactions that will dissipate spontaneously in time. If they persist and do not resolve within a reasonable period, consultation is warranted.
What Defendants Can Say
With whom can we talk?
It is normal and healthy to want to express how we feel after we experience any major life event. Research shows that talking to others about a significant stressor is a natural coping mechanism that hastens recovery.
Relationships During Litigation
How do you handle relationships during a medical malpractice lawsuit?
Ideally, we find our richest source of support in our spouses or others close to us. We share our innermost feelings with our closest confidant and feel not only understood but also cherished by their responses.
Preparing For Litigation
How can you prepare for a medical malpractice lawsuit?
Healthy habits complement other sources of support by helping to control and modify the development of overwhelming anxiety and other symptoms.
Symptoms To Watch For
When should you seek help?
Distinct symptom clusters often arise after adverse events and during medical malpractice lawsuits because of the nature of litigation and its threat of losses, its intermittent nature, and its chronic course.
Stress Assessment Checklist
How much stress is too much?
This checklist lists random symptoms. Your response is not indicative of any specific diagnosis. It helps, however,
to focus our attention on symptoms that may represent problems, as discussed in the Symptoms to Watch For section of the site.
When To Get A Consultation
When should you consider professional consultation?
All defendants sometimes find that, while very helpful, the support provided by family, friends, and peers is insufficient. Often, professional consultation with a personal physician or a psychiatrist or other mental health practitioner is helpful and, in some instances, imperative.
Where Can We Get Help?
Where can you find important ‘help’ resources?
The nature of the problem will often determine the professional we consult for a specific complaint. It is important to remember that the competence of the professional is the essential ingredient of successful treatment.
Barriers To Consulation
What are the barriers to seeking help?
Treatment enables physicians and other health care professionals to return quickly to emotional equilibrium with increased productivity and diminished vulnerability both to physical illness and potential impairment. Nonetheless, we may recognize a number of barriers to obtaining medical or mental health consultation.