After an operation, good aftercare is essential.
Doctors and hospitals have a duty to carefully monitor patients, respond to complaints in a timely manner and prevent complications.
Yet in practice this regularly goes wrong - sometimes resulting in serious or permanent damage.
In this article you can read when a medical error occurs due to inadequate aftercare, who is liable, and how you can receive compensation.
What does aftercare entail? in?
Aftercare is the set of checks, treatments and guidance after a medical procedure.
The aim is to detect complications, monitor recovery and allow the patient to heal safely.
Examples of necessary aftercare are:
Monitoring wound healing or scars
Guidance with medication or pain relief
Monitoring vital functions after a medical procedure. operation
Interim check of blood values or scans
Timely response to complications or complaints from the patient
If these steps are skipped or not carried out carefully, this can lead to serious damage.
When is there an error in aftercare?
A doctor or hospital can be liable if:
There has been insufficient control or follow-up after the procedure;
Complaints or signs of complications have not been taken seriously;
The patient has not been sufficiently informed about alarm symptoms or next steps;
The transfer between doctors or departments was inadequate
Aftercare is an integral part of the treatment — negligence in this regard counts as a medical error.
Practical examples
After an operation, a patient develops a fever, but the doctor reacts too late — later it turns out to be a serious infection.
A patient reports pain and swelling after a knee operation, but is not examined; the prosthesis turns out to be incorrectly placed.
After a caesarean section, complications arise due to missed checks on the wound.
A specialist forgets to schedule a check-up appointment, so that a complication is only discovered months later.
In all these situations there is inadequate care.
Who is liable?
According to Article 7:462 of the Dutch Civil Code makes the healthcare institution liable for errors made by its employees and assistants.
This means that both the treating physician and the hospital can be held responsible for inadequate aftercare.
Even when multiple physicians collaborate (for example in a team or in the event of transfer), the healthcare institution remains ultimately responsible for the coordination of aftercare.
What damage can be compensated?
In the case of Inadequate aftercare can cause significant damage.
You can receive compensation for, among other things:
Material damage:
Additional medical costs due to recovery operations or infection treatments
Loss of income during long-term recovery
Travel costs and medication
Auxiliary aids or household help
Intangible damage (punishment):
Pain, discomfort and fear due to complications
Long-term psychological impact or loss of confidence in care
Read also:
👉 Damages for medical liability
👉 Penalties for medical errors
What can you do if aftercare is incorrect went?
Request your medical file – this contains the treatment reports and checks.
Note complaints and contact moments with the hospital.
Engage a medical advisor – who can assess whether the aftercare remained below the professional standard.
- class="decorated-link cursor-pointer" href="https://arslan.nl/klacht-indienen-na-een-medische-fout-uw-rechten-en-stappenplan/" target="_new" rel="noopener">Submit a complaint after a medical error
Why Arslan & Arslan Lawyers?
Our lawyers specialize in medical liability and know exactly how to prove liability for errors in aftercare.
We work together with independent medical advisors and provide full compensation – free of charge for the patient.