One of the most surprising statements veterinarians hear after a complication arises is this:
“Nagpirma nga ako, pero hindi ko naman binasa.”
Or worse:
“Hindi ko naintindihan yung waiver.”
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Is That a Legal Defense?
The question is simple.
Is that a legal defense?
In most situations, the answer is no.
A consent form is not merely a piece of paper. It is a document intended to communicate risks, alternatives, limitations, and possible outcomes before a procedure is performed.
When a client voluntarily signs a document, the law generally presumes that the person had the opportunity to read and understand what was being signed.
Imagine signing a housing loan, a car loan, a cellphone plan, or a bank contract. Can a person later refuse responsibility simply by saying:
“Hindi ko kasi binasa.”
If that argument were enough, contracts would become meaningless.
This does not mean veterinarians can hide information inside documents or avoid explaining procedures. Ethical practice requires discussion, disclosure, and proper communication.
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But responsibility is shared.
- The veterinarian has the duty to explain.
- The client has the duty to listen, ask questions, and read before signing.
A signature is not just ink on paper.
It is an acknowledgment that a decision was made.
In many veterinary cases, consent forms specifically mention anesthesia risks, possible complications, unforeseen events, and even death. Not because veterinarians expect bad outcomes, but because medicine is not mathematics.
No doctor, physician, or veterinarian can guarantee a perfect result every time.
That is why informed consent exists.
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The Growing Culture of Selective Responsibility
What concerns me is the growing culture of selective responsibility.
When everything goes well, nobody questions the signature.
When something goes wrong, suddenly the document was never read.
Suddenly the explanation was never heard.
Suddenly the responsibility belongs entirely to someone else.
Accountability cannot work that way.
Reading before signing is not just a right.
It is a responsibility.
And perhaps that is the real lesson here.
A signature should never be treated as a formality.
Because the moment you sign a document without reading it, you are not proving that the document is invalid.
You may simply be proving that you chose not to understand the decision you were making.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
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