---
title: Refusal of Treatment—Liability, Patient Safety and Ethical Considerations
description: This article summarizes a number of NORCAL closed claims that illustrate various informed refusal scenarios.
image: https://files.norcal-group.com/hubfs/ng5218-RM-ClaimsRx-July2020-cover.jpg
---

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# [***CLAIMS Rx*** DIRECTORY](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx)

## RISK MANAGEMENT PUBLICATION

# Refusal of Treatment—Liability, Patient Safety and Ethical Considerations

July 2020

This article summarizes a number of NORCAL closed claims that illustrate various informed refusal scenarios. In many of these cases, an appropriate informed refusal process and documentation could have reduced patient harm and dissuaded the patient from filing a lawsuit. Where the patient did file a lawsuit, documentation of the informed refusal strengthened the defense.

***This article includes healthcare ethics content, which may help meet CME credit ethics requirements in some states.***

| **CASE ONE** Documentation of Informed Refusal and Leaving Against Medical Advice **CASE TWO** No Documentation of Leaving Against Medical Advice **CASE THREE** No Documentation of Referral Refusal | **CASE FOUR** Hard-to-Believe Patient Refusal of Treatment **CASE FIVE** Lack of Documentation of the Risks of Not Obtaining Recommended Testing **CASE SIX** Birth Plans and C-Section Refusal |
| --- | --- |

 

**Related Topics:** [Emergency Medicine](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/emergency-medicine), [Informed Consent](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/informed-consent), [Ethics](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/ethics), [Communication](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/communication), [Ob-gyn](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/ob-gyn), [Documentation](https://www.norcal-group.com/claimsrx/tag/documentation)

refusal of treatment, informed refusal, informed consent,treatment refusal,patient autonomy,leaving against medical advice. leaving AMA,noncompliance,nonadherence,non-compliance,non-adherence,malpractice,documentation,communication,patient education,informed refusal form,follow-up,birth plan,c-section refusal,emergency c-section

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