Some of the most stressful jobs are within an emergency room. Medical staff members often work long hours and care for many patients. This makes mistakes and errors far more likely. While medical staff work to make the best decisions for their patients, mistakes (also known as medical negligence) do happen.
Mistakes can be severe or fatal. If you or a loved one has suffered from a misdiagnosis or medical negligence in an emergency room, you may be eligible for compensation with the help of an emergency room errors attorney in Fort Lauderdale.
Why Does Medical Malpractice Happen in Emergency Rooms?
Medical malpractice cases are one of the most common cases against emergency rooms. Having to operate 24/7 with limited staff makes for long working hours and stressful work conditions. Under these conditions, it is more likely that mistakes and errors will occur than in standard medical facilities. This does not excuse mistakes, however.
Injury Victim
Lisa Levine has been practicing medical malpractice insurance for 35 years, working diligently to bring justice to her clients. Contact her to speak to an experienced emergency room errors attorney if you or a loved one have been a victim of an ER mistake or misdiagnosis.
Types of Emergency Room Errors that Result in Medical Malpractice
There are many technical and judgment errors that may occur in an emergency room setting. It is usually a diagnosis or judgment error that results in a medical malpractice case. Some of these errors that commonly occur are:
- Paramedic or medical staff neglect
- Delayed or failed diagnosis
- Surgical errors
- Blood transfusion errors
Many people come to the ER needing urgent treatment, forcing medical staff to make quick decisions based on judgment calls. These calls are not always right, and sometimes they are not remedied in time, causing more issues or even sometimes death.
Common Emergency Room Misdiagnoses
If you have ever tried to diagnose your symptoms online, you know many diseases and issues share the same symptoms. While medical personnel train to differentiate between these symptoms, there is not always time in an emergency room setting to make the best decision. Diseases and medical emergencies often misdiagnosed include:
- Appendicitis
- Heart Attack
- Aneurysm and Stroke
- Internal Bleeding or Hemorrhaging
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Cauda Equina
These emergencies can be serious or even fatal if not treated correctly or within a certain timeframe.
What Is Informed Consent?
Informed consent in a medical setting is meant to protect both the patient and the medical professionals by having the patient agree to the treatment as the medical professionals see fit, regardless of risks. Originally, it offered protection mainly to doctors against battery and assault charges.
But in an emergency, a patient may not be able to give consent due to not being conscious or not aware. Current Florida law states that regardless of consent, patients need to receive emergency room care to stabilize their condition. Depending on the situation, a patient may be unable to give consent when they are admitted to the emergency room. In lack of advanced orders, a doctor must treat the patient without consent.
Medical malpractice lawsuits based on informed consent are usually not brought in such emergencies. However, claims for negligence are feasible regardless of whether or not informed consent was given by the patient.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Room Malpractice Claims in Florida
How Long Do I Have to File a Fort Lauderdale Emergency Room Malpractice Claim?
In Florida, the statute of limitations grants the victim of emergency room negligence two years to file a lawsuit. That time begins when the patient is injured, becomes aware of the injury, or should have become aware of the injury.
Learn more about the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in Florida.
How Much Is My Florida Emergency Room Error Claim Worth?
As each emergency room error case is unique, there is no easy way to estimate how much compensation might be recovered. Among the factors you might consider are:
– The extent of the injuries
– The amount of your medical bills
– The extent to which the damage is permanent
What Role do Expert Witnesses Play in a Emergency Room Negligence Cases in Florida?
Since most judges and jurors lack the expertise needed to determine fault in an emergency room negligence case, the expert witness’s primary role is to assist them in understanding the complex medical and scientific facts they will have to weigh.
Learn more about the role of expert witnesses in malpractice cases.
Get Help From A Fort Lauderdale Emergency Room Errors Attorney
Lisa Levine practices personal injury and medical malpractice in various Southeast Florida counties, such as Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County. She represents those injured or killed due to negligent behavior, including victims of emergency room errors or negligence.
Call Lisa S. Levine, P.A. today at 954-256-1820 to schedule a free consultation and begin the process of compensation for you or a loved one’s injuries.
