Final answer:
Performing a treatment without the patient's informed consent can lead to potential legal consequences, including the risk of a lawsuit for medical malpractice.
Step-by-step explanation:
Performing a treatment without the patient's informed consent can lead to potential legal consequences, including the risk of a lawsuit for medical malpractice. Informed consent is a fundamental ethical and legal principle that ensures patients have the right to make decisions about their own healthcare. It requires healthcare providers to provide clear and accurate information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a proposed treatment or procedure, allowing patients to make an educated decision. When a treatment is performed without informed consent, it violates the principle of autonomy and can result in legal action.