Hospital Emergency Room Negligence
Ohio Emergency Room Negligence Attorneys
Emergency rooms, hospitals, and urgent care centers can often make the difference between life and death. However, with constant pressure to increase profits, patient care and safety sometimes lose priority, resulting in emergency room negligence.
We're here for you. Call us at any time.
Medical malpractice in emergency rooms can be caused by one or more of the following:
Inadequate staffing. If the emergency room, hospital or urgent care center does not employ qualified physicians, a critical illness can go undetected or untreated.
Improper operating procedures. When a medical care facility fails to implement procedures to ensure proper handling of medications and medical equipment, patient safety can be jeopardized.
Overcrowding. Emergency Departments were known for “boarding” their patients which sometimes lead to longer hospital stays and a higher mortality rate.
Improper testing or failing to test. X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans and other tests are critical for timely diagnosis of significant medical conditions. When an emergency room, hospital or urgent care center fails to administer such tests, or fails to appropriately interpret test results, patient care and safety is compromised.
Recognizing when malpractice has occurred can be confusing. There a few questions to observe after being admitted to an emergency room:
- When you went to the emergency room, were you provided solutions for your care?
- What were you told and did it match the outcome?
- Was your reason for going to the emergency room solved within a few weeks?
If you can’t answer these questions with certainty, you could be a victim of emergency room negligence.
ER And Urgent Care Malpractice
The unfortunate consequences that come in dealing with emergency medical facilities leave the patients at risk. Whether the outcome is failing to recognize significant symptoms, being discharged too early, or having the wrong procedure performed, emergency room malpractice can be fatal.
Victims of emergency room malpractice experience physical and non-physical problems such as:
1. Receiving the wrong medication
-
- The FDA averages around 100,000 reports for suspected medication error each year in the United States
2. Improper communication between the medical staff
-
- This has a major negative effect on the patient’s quality of care, safety and their medical outcome
3. Declining to give proper instructions to patients
-
- Patients receive the wrong care information and lengthen injury or sickness
4. Inaccurate Billing
5. Not recognizing the proper symptoms to a patient’s medical issue
-
- There are cases where the patient was misdiagnosed or discharged too soon due to the doctor not properly recognizing a patient’s symptoms which resulted in further injury or sicknesses.
6. Conducting inaccurate or pointless tests
-
- Occurring charges for medical tests not pertaining to the patient’s medical issue.
7. Extreme wait times
-
- When a patient waits for an extended amount of time, their injuries or sicknesses become more severe.
8. Referring the patient to the incorrect specialist
-
- This takes time away from correcting the patient’s problem and medical charges that are unnecessary
Do you have a question about ER Negligence?
Things to Remember In Any Ohio Malpractice Claim
Ohio Law requires plaintiffs to meet and supply a burden of proof. In order to empower a patient’s case for malpractice, the patient needs to submit a sustainable medical malpractice lawsuit. Because malpractice is the failure or violation to abide by a satisfactory level of care, the malpractice needs to be proven through a viable claim. Any issue not adhering to the proper standard of care needs verification of validity through a law professional.
Ohio Law also has strict time limits within which medical malpractice cases must be filed. The time limits are complicated. To understand the specifics of your case and whether you are still eligible to file a claim, it’s important to contact an attorney.
If you live in the suburbs of one of Ohio’s major cities such as Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Mansfield, Dayton, Springfield, Toledo, Akron or Canton, there are several urgent care facilities that provide medical services closer to home. In more rural areas, these facilities provide emergency and out-patient services to county residents who do not wish to incur the expense and time required to visit a hospital in a larger town. On most occasions, these facilities provide a high level of care. There are situations, however, where these County Hospitals and urgent care facilities make mistakes or where negligence can lead to errors, permanent injury, even death. Perhaps a procedure shouldn’t have been performed in the first place.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of negligence or urgent care mistakes, please give us a call. Clark, Perdue, and List are experienced Ohio personal injury attorneys with a proven track record of ensuring justice for victims.
According to the US Census Bureau, Ohio’s population estimates to 11,689,442 people in 2018 and Franklin County was estimated to have 1,310,300 people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated out of all emergency department visits, 8.7% of patients were admitted to the hospital – which means around 1 million Ohio patients and around 114,000 Franklin County patients the potential to be exposed to Emergency Room Negligence.
Clark, Perdue & List
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an experienced lawyer regarding hospital emergency room or urgent care center negligence, please contact us.
RECENT BLOG POSTS FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
How Common Is Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse?
While nursing home neglect and abuse are both acknowledged to be serious problems across the country, many Columbus residents don’t realize how frequently these issues occur. Thousands of families are affected every year, yet not every case of abuse and neglect gets...
How to Choose a Medical Malpractice Attorney
Have you been seriously injured due to the negligence of a Columbus health care provider? A medical malpractice attorney can provide you with the help you need to recover from the experience – but you’ll need to find a lawyer who is up to the task. Malpractice cases...
What Does It Cost to Hire a Columbus Nursing Home Abuse Attorney?
You suspect that a loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse. An attorney can help you build a strong legal case and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Working with an experienced Columbus nursing home neglect lawyer increases the likelihood of...
Another Case of Nursing Home Abuse Caught on Camera
We have reported in earlier posts that new legislation allows the use of recording devices in nursing homes. Unfortunately more cases are being reported about nursing home abuse caught on camera.
Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse – A Columbus Attorney’s Perspective
Nursing homes are supposed to be safe places where those we love can receive the care they need, and many Columbus facilities are just that. Unfortunately, some aren’t – and when someone is being mistreated, a nursing home neglect and abuse attorney can hold the...
Nursing Homes Still Experiencing Staff Shortages
According to a recent survey by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), 94% of nursing homes and 81% of assisted living communities have faced a shortage of staff members recently. And more than half of the facilities...