Surgeons performing an operation.

If you have been injured due to a mistake by a medical provider, while being treated in the emergency room, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering, among other losses. Our firm is working with experienced Emergency Room medical malpractice lawyers in RI and MA, who charge no fee until you receive a settlement or award. Contact us toll free 24/7 or online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

Do You Believe That a Medical Provider Made a Mistake
That Resulted in a Serious Injury?
Call the Emergency Room Mistake Lawyers of
d’Oliveira & Associates Today!

Why Are There Emergency Room Medical Malpractice Cases?

There are many reasons why emergency room errors occur. Most notably, emergency rooms are overcrowded. Often, the hospitals are understaffed and not equipped with the necessary supplies to provide proper treatment for the patients. Patients may experience long wait times or may be sent home too early. Additionally, it may be difficult to find specialists and other doctors with expertise in a given area to see to all the patients.

The shortage of employees and resources can also lead to quick decisions. The hospital staff may not order the proper tests, or could misread test results. Furthermore, if staff members rush through procedures they may forget to wash their hands, leading to patients getting hospital acquired infections (HAI). Another reason for ER malpractice is that many staff members are either poorly trained, or simply inexperienced. This inexperience and poor training could lead to miscommunication, such as providing patients with the wrong medication, or wrong dosage.

What Is Your Emergency Room Medical Malpractice Case Worth?

When considering the value of an ER medical malpractice case, certain factors can be taken into account in order to compensate you. Your medical bills and income that may have been lost due to disability related to the malpractice will be examined. Additionally, the pain and suffering you have experienced will be taken into consideration. You may also be entitled to compensation for permanent disfigurement.

In rare cases (depending on the state) if a case ends up going to a trial, then a judge or a jury will award “punitive” damages. These are awarded when the doctor that committed malpractice was extremely out of line with what a normal doctor would have done.

Potential “future” losses can also be considered. These are losses that will be incurred over the course of time related to your care. These can last through to the end of treatment for the injury, or can last the rest of your life if the injury is serious enough. These types of damages could result in a larger settlement. Read more.

What Are The Most Common Emergency Room Mistakes?

  • Errors of Commission – where a nurse or doctor does the wrong thing, or does the right thing incorrectly.
  • Errors of Omission – where an action that should have been taken was not taken.
  • Errors of Communication – where medical professionals don’t accurately communicate between themselves, or with their patients.
  • Contextual Errors – where the doctor performs or prescribes the right treatment, but fails to take into account the ability of the patient or other doctors to execute that treatment.
  • Diagnostic Errors – where the doctor does not properly identify the cause of the patient’s situation, which could lead to delayed or incorrect treatment.

What Are The Most Common Mistakes Emergency Room Staff Make?

A doctor looking at an x-ray of a chest.

The Wall Street Journal stated that diagnostic errors account for 37% to 55% of cases in studies of closed malpractice claims. Physicians often fail to diagnose the following serious conditions:

  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Aneurysms
  • Pancreatitis

How Often Does ER Malpractice Occur?

A 2013 study published in the Journal of Patient Safety reported that as many as 400,000 people die every year due to medical errors, which could have been prevented. As the initial hospital intake department, the emergency room can be held accountable for a substantial portion of those deaths.

Why Contact Us?

2 clients talking to a personal injury lawyer regarding a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you have suffered an injury because of emergency room malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering, among other losses. Our firm is working with experienced ER medical malpractice lawyers, who charge no fee until you receive a settlement or award. Contact us toll free 24/7 at 1-800-992-6878 or online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.