Barring an emergency need for surgery, anyone who is going into surgery should be informed of the risks and benefits of the surgical procedure. In fact, informed consent is important in a variety of medical procedures because many procedures come with risks. There are some cases in which the informed consent must be obtained in the form of a written statement.

When you are going to receive any medical procedure, you might be asked to sign forms before the procedure is done. You shouldn’t ever sign these forms unless you understand the risks as they pertain to you. There are some risks that are very scary. Some procedures, such as surgeries, might even have death as a risk. If you are concerned about the risks of a procedure, you should talk to your doctor before you sign the informed consent.

Besides knowing the risks of the procedure, you should also know the benefits of the procedure and the alternatives to the procedure. You need all of this information so that you can make a decision about whether you will proceed with the procedure or opt to bypass it.

When a medical professional doesn’t get the informed consent to proceed with a procedure, there is a chance that you might decide to seek compensation if you suffer from a risk that you weren’t aware of or one that you weren’t willing to take. Cases involving lack of informed consent can be difficult, but they aren’t impossible. You should make sure that you know about your rights and responsibilities if you opt to file a medical malpractice claim based on lack of informed consent.

Source: American Cancer Society, “What is informed consent and what does it mean?,” accessed June 08, 2016