If You Suspect Veterinary Malpractice...
by Kenneth D. Ross & Thomas Kanyock
ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT requests for assistance that ALDF receives is from
people whose companion animals have suffered injuries, or even death, and who
fear that negligence by their veterinarian was the cause.
If you suspect that your companion animal was injured by veterinary
malpractice, there are several things that you can do.
First, send a complaint to your state veterinary licensing board. This is a
state agency, usually located in the capital, whose duties include the
investigation of allegations of wrongdoing by veterinarians, including
malpractice. State licensing boards have the power to suspend or remove a
veterinarian's license, although this rarely happens.
Your complaint to a licensing board should be short, should fully identify
all of the parties, and state the facts as you know them. Demand that the
licensing board investigate your complaint and notify you of the results. A few
weeks after you mail the complaint, call the board and confirm that they
received it and have started the investigation. It is important that all
licensing boards receive valid complaints and encouragement to monitor the
practitioners in their state.
In addition, a complaint should be sent to the veterinary medical association
in the county where the veterinarian practices. Again, demand an investigation
and response. In some areas, the county veterinary association is not listed in
the telephone directory. You can locate the mailing address by calling any
veterinary clinic and asking for it.
A second approach to veterinary malpractice is hiring a lawyer to negotiate a
settlement, or to bring a lawsuit.
The biggest problem with bringing a lawsuit is that, even if you win, you
usually do not recover very much money. In this country, an animal is viewed as
an item of personal property, and most courts limit recovery to the cost of
replacing the companion animal with another animal. Because of the low potential
for a large recovery, most lawyers are unable or unwilling to take veterinary
malpractice cases on a contingency basis, and it is possible that the pet owner
would invest more money in legal fees than can be recovered.
On the other hand, courts have recently begun to realize that a companion
animal is unique and cannot simply be replaced. Courts are beginning to permit
owners to recover the "reasonable sentimental value" of the companion
animals to the individual owners, as long as the sentiment is not
"excessive" or "maudlin." This can increase the potential
recovery from a few hundred dollars, to perhaps a few thousand.
If you are not able to afford a lawyer, then consider going to small claims
court, where you can represent yourself. In small claims court, recovery will be
limited to "out-of-pocket" expenses. This includes only the money you
lost already as a result of the malpractice, and does not include loss of your
companion animal's sentimental value. In any lawsuit, you will still be required
to secure expert testimony as to what act of negligence the veterinarian
committed.
Finally, you must understand that neither complaining to the state veterinary
licensing board, nor filing a lawsuit, will alleviate the sense of loss that you
feel. You must allow yourself to grieve fully. Check with your local humane
society to see whether they offer grief counseling sessions, or talk with other
owners who have lost their beloved animals.
Kenneth Ross and Thomas Kanyock are attorneys in private practice in
Chicago, Illinois and have handled numerous veterinary malpractice matters. Mr.
Ross is on the ALDF Board of Directors.
THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT your companion animal is to know your rights and the
veterinarian's duties. Here are some major points to remember:
1. Seek out a qualified, competent, and caring veterinarian.
2. Do not be reluctant to seek a second or even third opinion regarding the
diagnosis of your companion animal. There are specialists for animals just as
there are for humans.
3. Monitor your companion animal's stay at the hospital or clinic. Ask
questions if you do not understand what services the veterinarian is tendering.
Trust your common sense.
4. If you suspect malpractice, immediately seek an independent and
confidential second opinion. If your animal has died. preserve the remains and
quickly take the body to another veterinarian (preferably a college of
veterinary medicine) for a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
5. Request all medical records regarding treatment, including x-rays if
taken.
6. If you have received a second opinion that supports your concern about
malpractice, immediately seek expert legal advice.
7. The Animal Legal Defense Fund offers a packet of information designed to
assist those who suspect veterinary malpractice. In order to receive this
packet, please call or email the national office and leave your name and mailing
address.
If your companion animal has died, please accept our sincere condolences on
the loss of your friend. Many of us at ALDF have also experienced the loss of
one of our animal companions. Click here
for some compassionate advice for dealing with the loss of your friend.
Animal Legal Defense Fund
http://www.aldf.org
127 Fourth Street Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone (707) 769-7771; Fax (707) 769-0785
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