Under the law, doctors are required to obtain a patient’s informed consent before they proceed with treatment in order to protect themselves from liability that they may otherwise face for injuries or harm arising from their course of treatment. Informed consent is simply a patient’s agreement to undergo a proposed course of treatment or procedure after they have been informed of, and have understood, any relevant issues, such as possible side effects or alternative treatment options, which might affect their decision. In some instances, lack of informed consent can be grounds for a medical malpractice claim.