When we go to the emergency room for ourselves or our loved ones, we go there because we have a medical emergency that needs to be taken care of. Trips to the ER, whether we drive ourselves or go by ambulance, can be scary experiences. One thing we usually count on is that the medical professionals who work in the ER being competent and delivering a high level of care. That is usually what happens.
Unfortunately, sometimes doctors, nurses, or other workers end up harming us more. It is not usually intentional, but negligence on the part of a healthcare professional can have deadly consequences. If you need a Philadelphia emergency room malpractice attorney, call The Weitz Firm, LLC today.
The first thing that most people notice when they go to an emergency room is how busy it is. No matter the time of day or night, ERs are busy with patients. Often, they are also understaffed.
Why is this a problem?
If an ER is understaffed, it means more than just a longer wait time. It can also mean that doctors and nurses are so busy that they fail to diagnose a medical emergency properly. This can mean that they discharge a patient or give the wrong treatment. Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that diagnostic errors accounted for the largest fraction of medical malpractice claims. They make up a significant portion of the more than 250,000 people killed in the US due to medical mistakes.
Being rushed in the ER can also lead to patients being rushed through the system, and the cause may be from hospital administration. Many hospitals are for-profit, meaning that the more patients they can get through the doors and out the better. Because of this, doctors may be pressured to move more quickly, again leading to diagnostic mistakes.
While we all know that doctors and nurses are busy, they may be worked the point of exhaustion. It is not uncommon for healthcare professionals to work more than 24 hours in a row.
Is a doctor or nurse able to focus clearly after that long at work?
Common medical errors include medication errors. Often, patients are given the wrong medication or the wrong dose of their medication. An exhausted healthcare professional is much more likely to make these mistakes.
Whether the negligence is intentional or unintentional is irrelevant – medical mistakes in the ER should be prevented. When they happen, the people responsible should be held accountable.
Most people do not realize that they have a limited amount of time to file medical malpractice claims after a medication error in Philadelphia. According to the law in Pennsylvania, most medical malpractice lawsuits need to be filed within two years from the time a patient discovers they were injured or became ill due to a medication error. Notice that this time frame says from the date the patient discovers the mistake. Often, medication errors are not realized until long after they have occurred, so the medical malpractice statute of limitations allows for two years from the discovery date as opposed to two years from when the mistake actually occurred.
Additionally, Pennsylvania law imposes a seven-year statute of repose on medical malpractice cases. This means that victims of medication errors have a total of seven years to file their claims regardless of when they discover their injury or illness. No medical malpractice claim can be filed beyond this seven-year window. The only exception to that is if the medication error happened to a person under the age of 18. In these cases, the victim will have until their 20th birthday to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent party.
Victims of medication mistakes in Philadelphia may be entitled to various types of compensation. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our qualified and experienced attorneys have regularly been able to help secure the following types of compensation for our clients in these situations:
The total amount of compensation available in these cases will vary depending on factors related to each particular situation. This includes the severity of the injury or illness caused by the medication error, the level of the victim’s pain and suffering, and more.
Unfortunately, medical malpractice cases involving medication mistakes can become incredibly complicated. Most victims affected by these errors lack the resources and legal expertise necessary to secure maximum compensation for their claim. Often, poorly fought medical malpractice cases end up getting dismissed. That is why you need to secure assistance from a skilled Philadelphia medication error attorney as soon as possible. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we have extensive resources at our disposal. We will be able to:
We know how scary medical emergencies can be, whether they are your own emergencies or a loved one is hurt or sick. We know you expected to get quality treatment from the doctors and nurses in the emergency room, but sometimes the negligence and carelessness of medical professionals cause us harm. If you need a medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia, The Weitz Firm, LLC will be by your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need for all of your incident-related expenses. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
