Most of us would like to believe that hospitals always provide patients with the best possible care and treatment. Unfortunately, that is not always the case – especially now that hospitals everywhere still seem to be dealing with strains caused by COVID-19.
These strains, however, shouldn’t excuse instances of negligence that cause injury and death in hospitals. More than 200,000 people in the U.S. die from medical malpractice incidents every year, and many of those incidents occur in hospitals. How? Well, that’s what we hope to shed light on with this brief blog.
What Is Hospital Negligence?
Hospital negligence is a subset of medical malpractice law concerned with negligence, error, or lapses in care by hospital staff that causes injury or death to a patient. As far as the law is concerned, anyone who interacts with a patient or their affairs in any way can be held liable – this includes doctors, nurses, administrators, and other hospital employees.
If a patient is injured or killed as a result of negligence, they or their loved ones are entitled to pursue compensation by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
What Causes Hospital Negligence?
Negligence in a hospital that’s severe enough to injure or kill a patient can occur in a variety of ways. Tragically, many of these scenarios are easily preventable if even a small amount of care is taken to prevent an incident.
Examples of hospital negligence can include the following:
- Understaffing, especially in areas where care is needed most
- Improperly trained staff members
- Overworked staff
- Miscommunication about a patient’s care or needs
- Unsanitary equipment or practices
- Defective or outdated equipment
- Mistakes involving charts or records
Any of the conditions above can result in a situation where a patient is given a drug they don’t need or an incorrect dosage of a drug they do need. Frighteningly, it’s not as uncommon as you’d think for patients who don’t need surgery to get it or get the wrong procedure done when they do need it.
The consequences of a hospital’s negligence can be tragic, which is why it’s important for patients and their families to stand up for themselves. If you believe you or someone you love was harmed as a result of a hospital’s negligence, our attorneys at Bertram & Graf, L.L.C. can help.
Contact us online now to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.