Massachusetts Emergency Room Errors and Hospital Malpractice

The emergency room is a high-stress environment. Many patients rush to hospital emergency rooms with potentially life-threatening diseases, and every day, doctors and nurses must deal with numerous new patients who require immediate attention. Given the frantic nature of the emergency room, it’s understandable that medical errors occur, but that doesn’t make them acceptable. A patient may suffer more injury if a busy emergency room doctor overlooks serious symptoms or misdiagnoses an illness.

At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, Our emergency room malpractice attorneys assist individuals who have been injured or died due to an emergency room error caused by the emergency room staff’s negligence or inattention. You may be entitled to compensation for your losses, and we can assist you in filing a claim and receiving the compensation you deserve. Call us at (617) 391-9001 or fill out our contact form to book a free consultation with a Massachusetts medical malpractice lawyer.

What Emergency Room Errors Result in Injury?

Emergency rooms are chaotic, which makes them susceptible to making various errors. If the staff is not managed well, the hospital is understaffed, or the medical professionals are too tired to pay proper attention, things will likely go awry.

Some of the most common emergency room errors that can lead to injury include:

• Failing to admit a patient who requires immediate medical attention
• Failing to treat a patient requiring urgent care in a timely manner 
• Failing to diagnose emergency conditions
• Misreading medical charts, records, or laboratory test results
• Failing to seek specialist advice or surgical consultations
• Discharging a patient from the emergency room too soon
• Ordering the incorrect lab or diagnostic tests
• Prescribing the wrong medication
• Administering the wrong dosage of medication
• Failing to perform a thorough physical examination

Any of these errors could lead to patients suffering from an injury, worsening their ailment, or even losing their lives. The stakes are high in emergency rooms, so the medical personnel in hospitals must take proper care to ensure the health and safety of those who enter. By making errors like these, they could open themselves up to be liable for their patients’ injuries due to negligence.

Can Massachusetts Hospitals Be Held Liable for Emergency Room Errors?

Certain emergency room errors may be the fault of the hospital. When a hospital makes certain decisions, it might lead to dangerous situations. Hospitals’ everyday decisions that can potentially endanger patients include subcontracting workers for the emergency room and allowing patients to be seen by personnel other than doctors.

Sometimes, work in the emergency room is subcontracted by the hospital. Subcontracted emergency room doctors may be less familiar with the hospital’s protocols and operations, as well as the hospital’s staff. This unfamiliarity might lead to miscommunication or delays that could put patients in danger.

Also, many hospitals allow patients to be treated without seeing a doctor. These hospitals allow certain patients to be seen by nurses and physician assistants to save time and money. The emergency room doctor may review the other staff’s work, but they may never see the patient themselves. As a result, a diagnosis error made by the nurse or assistant may go undiscovered, resulting in a potentially severe injury or delayed proper treatment. When hospitals engage in procedures and operations that put patients in danger, they should be held responsible for any injuries that occur as a result.

Common Injuries Sustained Due to the Emergency Room Errors

It is not uncommon for patients to suffer because of emergency room errors. Patients attempting to receive care in the emergency room can be experiencing a multitude of ailments. Many patients have been harmed unnecessarily by hospital negligence and endure injuries because of this neglect.

Typical outcomes of emergency room errors involve injuries such as:

• A worsening condition
• Appendicitis complications
• Brain aneurysms
• Heart attacks
• Infected wounds
• Injuries that have healed incorrectly
• Internal bleeding
• Strokes

When these errors occur, your health and well-being are jeopardized. You don’t have to put up with poor emergency room care, and an experienced malpractice lawyer may be able to assist you in taking legal action. Pursuing compensation is a great way to recover damages you have suffered and hold the hospital and its staff accountable for their mistreatment of patients.

Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim for Emergency Room Negligence in Massachusetts

When doctors and other healthcare professionals fail to maintain a set standard of care, it is referred to as medical malpractice. This failure often occurs in the emergency room, where time is of the essence. Emergency room errors result in adverse outcomes that could have been prevented, and these mistakes can have an extensive list of consequences for a patient, including death. 

Patients or the families of patients who have been affected by medical negligence have the right to seek compensation from those who caused their injury through a medical malpractice suit. 

They can recover damages like:

• Past and future medical bills 
• Lost income
• Decreased earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Rehabilitation
• Funeral expenses

Medical malpractice cases have to answer whether the doctor or other healthcare professional being sued provided the level of care and skill that would be reasonably expected of a healthcare professional in the defendant’s position under similar circumstances. It also entails presenting evidence demonstrating how the defendant neglected this standard and how this resulted in harm to the patient. 

The Statute of Limitations for Emergency Room Error Claims

You have three years from the date of the malpractice incident to launch a lawsuit under Massachusetts state law. Any case brought after this time limit has passed will likely be dismissed. However, there are circumstances where a person may not have been able to determine immediately that they had been the victim of emergency room error and had yet to discover their injury. The three-year time limit starts on the date when the person should have been aware of the malpractice.

Consult a Lawyer Experienced in Massachusetts Emergency Room Errors And Hospital Malpractice

Because of the complexity surrounding healthcare facilities and culpability, claims against hospitals or their staff are challenging to resolve. All medical malpractice claims, including emergency room error allegations, should be reviewed by a knowledgeable attorney with years of experience. The attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers may be able to help you hold the party responsible for your suffering accountable.

Our team has the knowledge, resources, and desire to build a solid case that can get you fair compensation. Our medical malpractice team includes attorney  Kyle A. Camilleri, a seasoned lawyer who has won awards for their outstanding work. 
Call (617) 391-9001 or send in our request form to schedule a free case evaluation with a member of our firm who can help you explore your legal options.