When A Visit To The ER Goes Wrong

When you are in severe pain, seriously ill, or have been injured, a trip to the emergency room is often unwanted but necessary. When you visit the ER, you expect for the physicians there to order the appropriate diagnostic tests and provide you with quick treatment and relief when possible. Unfortunately, emergency room patients are often the victim of medical negligence. Here’s what you need to know about medical malpractice in the ER and how you can get legal help if you or a loved one have suffered as a result of negligence.

Delayed Diagnosis or Failure to Diagnose

There’s no doubt that emergency room physicians are busy. However, each patient is owed a standard of care when they arrive no matter how busy, tired, or stressed the attending physician is. One of those standards is to provide an accurate diagnosis in a timely manner, especially when the condition is serious. One of the most common forms of medical negligence in the emergency room is delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose. For critical issues like heart attacks, strokes, and meningitis, this can result in a patient’s condition worsening or even their death.

Contamination

Most hospitals use clean, disposable, or sterile tools when they treat patients. This has become standard practice in the industry, however, some hospitals or hospital staff may not abide by this. The use of contaminated blood products when treating a patient can cause the spread of bloodborne diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C, which are serious, lifelong conditions that have the potential to result in death.

Injury

While there may be a risk of injury during certain procedures, it’s the responsibility of hospital staff to do everything within their power to avoid injury whenever possible. Carelessness and negligence can increase the chances of injury, which can range from mild to critical and even life-threatening.

When to Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one have been the victim of medical negligence in the emergency room, you may be entitled to compensation if you’ve suffered damages as a result. The first step is consulting with an attorney to learn more about your legal options.