What Is Emergency Room Malpractice?

 Posted on February 05, 2024 in Medical Malpractice

Emergency rooms can be fairly chaotic, and the fast-paced nature of emergency rooms makes them intense environments for both patients and medical staff. In an environment like this, errors can occur, and errors due to negligence or recklessness by emergency room staff can have serious consequences for patients.

An Illinois emergency room malpractice lawyer can help you figure out your options if you have experienced an injury or someone you love has experienced wrongful death due to an emergency room error.

Common Emergency Room Errors

When it comes to emergency room errors, there are a few types of errors that can be common to encounter. These errors can have serious consequences and lead to illnesses, life-changing injuries, and even wrongful death for patients.

Common emergency room errors include:

• Misdiagnosis, which often occurs for women and minority patients exhibiting certain symptoms in the emergency room

• Delayed diagnosis, when a doctor or laboratory does not return results or complete a diagnosis in time for a patient to seek care

• Incorrect interpretation of lab results, X-rays, or other paperwork and medical documentation

• Medication errors

• Failure to refer a patient to a specialist or to perform life-saving care as needed

It is important to reach out to an experienced attorney as soon as you suspect an emergency room error has occurred. The sooner you start to take legal action, the higher your chances of staying inside the Illinois statute of limitations on medical malpractice cases.

Can I Receive Compensation for Emergency Room Malpractice?

It is possible to receive compensation for emergency room malpractice, as this is a type of medical malpractice. Staff working in the emergency room have a duty to care for all of their patients and give proper diagnoses or refer the individual to another hospital staff member so they can receive the best care.

Negligence by emergency room staff, recklessness, or errors in performing their job can result in serious complications for a patient. Compensation for these errors may cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the cost of caring for an injury or illness in the long term.

Contact a Winnebago County, IL Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Visiting an emergency room should be something you do with trust in the doctors or medical staff that treat you. However, errors can occur in the emergency room, and these mistakes can have serious consequences for patients. A seasoned Rockford, IL medical malpractice lawyer can help discuss your compensation options after an emergency room error.

Contact Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law at 815-215-7561 for a free consultation to learn how we can help your situation.