An emergency room is a setting full of different emotions. The common expressions would be panic and worry painted on the patients’ and their loved ones’ faces. Paired with those emotions, they expect attending medical professionals to make quick decisions. But on top of being quick on their toes, physicians, nurses and other medical professionals must practice careful diagnosis and treatment.
Unfortunately, there are negligent decisions and actions which may result in emergency room errors and life-altering injuries to patients.
Common ER mistakes
Medical practitioners in the emergency room should always meet the required standard of care under the law and medical standards. Common emergency room errors are:
- Failure to diagnose
- Incorrect diagnosis
- Prescription of the wrong medication
- Delayed assessment and treatment
- Failure to run the appropriate medical tests
- Failure to follow up on a test result
- Premature discharge from the ER
These are some ER mistakes that can lead to additional injuries, illnesses or worse, death.
Seeking Compensation
If the wronged party can demonstrate that the emergency room practitioners made a considerable error that led to substantial and life-altering injuries and illnesses, they may be able to seek compensation. In Kansas, the injured party must file an action within two years after the injury or discovery thereof.
Who can be responsible for malpractice? Physicians, surgeons, nurses and other attending medical staff could potentially be liable for the injuries incurred in the emergency room.
Experiencing a life-altering error in the emergency room can be a terrifying occasion for patients and their families. There are a lot of things that could go wrong in an emergency room due to the medical malpractice of practitioners. But knowing that compensation may be available in these scenarios is helpful information one can keep in their back pocket.
