JustinInMN
4 of a Kind
When I was first playing in a casino regularly a dealer gave me this good advice.Edit - to add the ruling was once my hand was tabled I’m good, apparently not my job to protect at that point (although I still should). Floor was kind. Also, it was literally the BEST dealer we had all day by far that did this. Kid was amazing, this was his only mistake and he felt horrible. So stuff obviously happens to everyone.
If you table your hand and are getting the pot, treat your hand like a receipt. Keep it close and don't surrender it until you have been pushed the chips you are due.
If a dealer mucks your hand in the spot you describe, he has probably read it as a loser amd you did good to correct him at that point.
The dealer's procedure is to muck all losers and only push pots to winning hands.