Common Errors in Emergency Rooms Due to Medical Malpractice

Emergency rooms are often filled with people experiencing emergencies. It can be difficult to navigate and provide everyone with the same level of care in an expeditious manner. While emergency rooms are known to have long wait times along with many other issues, the care of the patients should always remain consistent and all patients should be treated with at minimum the standard of care. While people go to emergency rooms seeking care for their ailments, sometimes they experience substandard care, leading to patient harm. Errors occur in emergency rooms across the United States on a daily basis. If an error leads to patient harm, it is then that it is considered to be medical malpractice. 

 

Common Emergency Room Errors

 

Sadly, there are numerous emergency room errors that occur on a daily basis. As the emergency room is a place for people to seek care for urgent matters, even the smallest error can lead to catastrophic harm. Common types of emergency room errors include the following:

 

• Medication administration errors (i.e. wrong dose, wrong route, wrong patient)
• Prolonged delay in diagnosis, leading to harm
• Prolonged delay in treating patients, leading to harm
• Anesthesia errors
• Contaminated blood transfusions
• Medication administration of a medication that a patient is allergic to
• Paramedic and EMT neglect
• Misinterpretation of lab results
• Failing to obtain a complete health history
• Premature discharge of a patient who needs further evaluation or treatment
• Failing to diagnose a serious medical condition (i.e cancer, stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, internal hemorrhage due to trauma, etc.)
• Failing to perform all required testing that is necessary
• Communication errors

 

What Complications Can Arise Due to Emergency Room Errors?

 

There are many complications that can arise due to emergency room errors. As mentioned above, even a small mistake can have catastrophic results. Examples of complications due to emergency room errors include the following:

 

• Missed cancer diagnosis, leading to progression of cancer
• Missed heart attack, stroke, or aneurysm, leading to permanent organ damage or even death
• Anaphylactic reaction due to a medication being administered to a patient with a known allergy to that medication
• Permanent brain damage due to failure to detect trauma
• Death due to misdiagnosis, delay in diagnosis, or treatment
• Need for blood transfusion due to delay in detecting hemorrhage or failing to control bleeding in a timely manner

 

How Are These Errors Due to Medical Malpractice?

 

All of the errors above can be due to medical malpractice. While emergency rooms can be and often are quite busy, it is still not an excuse for errors due to malpractice. Reasons for emergency room errors due to medical malpractice include the following:

 

• Overcapacity emergency rooms
• Understaffing
• Staffing of inexperienced healthcare workers
• Recklessness or carelessness
• Failure to adhere to hospital protocols
• Failure to adequately communicate
• Lack of concern, leading to rushing which leads to substandard care

 

These are just a few of most common reasons for error in emergency rooms. 

 

Ask Our Errors in Emergency Rooms Lawyers if You Have a Medical Malpractice Case

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.