Emergency rooms are often bustling with sick patients and medical professionals running back and forth. An emergency room is often the most chaotic and intense area in a hospital. Doctors and nurses are under a lot of pressure and must follow specific protocol to be able to give the highest-quality medical care possible to each and every patient under these stressful conditions. Although some medical mistakes in emergency rooms are unavoidable, our Philadelphia ER malpractice lawyers know that there are still plenty of scenarios in which an ER doctor is incompetent or negligent. If you have sustained an injury as a result of an emergency room medical malpractice situation, call the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at the Marrone Law Firm today for legal support.
Common Mistakes Made in Emergency Room Settings
Emergency rooms involve a wide variety of different healthcare personnel, medical tools and equipment, and medical procedures being done. Because of this, there is also a wide variety of medical mistakes and employee mistakes that can occur. These mistakes often have serious and lasting effects on a patient.
Types of emergency room errors that are common in Philadelphia malpractice cases that our lawyers represent include:
- Failure to diagnose (makes up 20% of all medical malpractice cases for emergency rooms)
- Contaminated blood transfusions
- Patient dumping (releasing or moving a patient who is problematic or uninsured)
- Misdiagnosing a medical condition
- EMT and paramedic neglect
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical errors
- Delayed diagnosis
- Mistakes with medication
- Improper analysis of test results
- Ignoring or downplaying symptoms
- Delayed treatment
- Improper testing, failure to order testing, wrong tests, not enough tests, or misinterpreted test result
- Poor patient monitoring in case condition worsens
- Lab errors, paperwork errors, and other procedural errors
- Miscommunication between staff members
Causes of Medical Mistakes
Due to the nature of emergency rooms, medical errors are more likely to happen in this health care setting. When a doctor or nurse acts carelessly and a medical mistake occurs, the negligent physician and the hospital may be liable. Of course, negligence is not the only cause of emergency room mistakes.
Common causes of emergency room errors in Philadelphia that our malpractice attorneys have seen include:
- Missing equipment or resources
- Overcrowding
- Stressed or fatigued personnel
- Not enough staffing
- Inexperience or lack of training
- Shortage of hospital beds and space for patients
- Failing to follow standard protocol
- Rushing between patients
- Not getting a full and proper medical history
Contact a Philadelphia Emergency Room Malpractice Attorney for Legal Guidance Today
Proving liability in a medical malpractice case can often be challenging. For instance, it may difficult to bring a successful claim when dealing with regular doctors versus a specialist in emergency room scenarios. If you believe that you have been the victim of medical malpractice while visiting an emergency room, the Philadelphia ER malpractice lawyers at the Marrone Law Firm can offer a free consultation in regards to your case and support you with sound legal advice. Call us to get started now.