ER & Hospital Mistakes

Emergency Room and Hospital Mistakes Lawyer | Minneapolis, MN

Hospital patients rely on emergency room doctors and medical staff to look after them, sometimes in moments of literal life or death. When ER doctors fail to care for their patients, either through an act of omission or through a treatment that deviates from the accepted standard of medical care, ER visits can leave patients worse off than when they arrived. In some tragic cases, ER and hospital mistakes result in catastrophic injuries or even death.

Magna Law Firm specializes in medical malpractice lawsuits that involve emergency room and hospital mistakes. Our hospital mistake lawyers handle everything from prescription drug overdoses to life-altering surgical injuries and fatalities. Call 763-438-3032 to schedule a free legal consultation with our law firm.

What is a hospital mistake?

Generally, hospital mistakes (or “medical mistakes”) are defined as any error, oversight, or act of negligence that occurs within a healthcare setting. Hospital mistake lawyers get involved when this leads to the harm or injury of a patient. 

Hospital mistakes involve a wide range of issues and can vary depending on the patient and the type of help being administered. Hospital mistakes can lead to medical malpractice claims if they result from negligence and cause harm to the patient. To be legally actionable, the error typically needs to be shown as a deviation from the accepted standard of care that directly caused injury or damages.

Common ER and Hospital Mistakes

 Common hospital mistakes may include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Medication Errors. Also called prescription errors, medication errors occur when a doctor gives the wrong medication, prescribes the incorrect dosage, and/or fails to take drug allergies into account when writing prescriptions.
• Surgical Errors: This type of hospital mistake occurs during surgical procedures. Surgical errors can happen to the area being operated on or to another part of the body; they can happen during both general and local anesthesia. Surgical errors include things like wrong-site surgery, operating on the wrong patient, or leaving surgical instruments inside the body.
• Delayed Diagnosis. When a doctor misdiagnoses their patient—or fails to catch a serious condition in its early stages—they not only delay treatment, but expose their patient to greater complications and risk.
• Anesthesia Errors. General anesthesia is a common component of many routine surgical procedures. Anesthesia errors include incorrect administration of anesthesia—either too little or too much—resulting in pain, bodily harm, or even death.
• Infection Control Failures. Hospitals have a strict protocol for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. When medical professionals fail to adhere to these protocols, often through poor hygiene practices, their patients can acquire new infections during a hospital stay.
• Communication Failures. Medical treatment plans can involve a dance between the patient, their insurance company, and their healthcare providers. A breakdown in communication between these key players can lead to hospital errors or dangerous double treatments.
• Falls and Patient Injuries: It is not uncommon for patients regaining their strength after a surgery or procedure to be weak on their feet. Hospitals have a duty to provide proper assistance to patients in active physical recovery; failing to do so exposes them to further injury.
• Failure to Monitor. Your doctor’s job is not always done after the procedure or appointment; they must also actively observe their patient’s condition, especially post-surgery or during high-risk treatments. Failing to do so can lead to medical malpractice.
• Improper Discharge: Discharging a patient too early or without adequate instructions, which could lead to worsening conditions, is another type of hospital mistake. Hospitals looking to protect their bottom line may be more inclined to move patients out quicker than is appropriate to make room for other patients.

Examples of Medical Errors That May Constitute Medical Malpractice

Medical errors will vary from case to case. Here are some examples of the most common types of hospital mistakes we see as hospital mistake lawyers:

Misdiagnosis/delayed diagnosis. A patient presenting with symptoms of a heart attack may be misdiagnosed with acid reflux, delaying critical treatment.

Surgical error: A surgeon performing a procedure on the wrong limb, resulting in unnecessary harm.

Medication error: A doctor prescribes a medication that the patient is allergic to, resulting in a severe allergic reaction.

Anesthesia error: A patient receiving too much anesthesia and suffering brain damage from oxygen deprivation.

Birth injury: A delayed C-section resulting in oxygen deprivation to the baby, causing cerebral palsy.

Failure to obtain informed consent: A doctor performs a risky procedure without informing the patient of potential complications, and the patient suffers harm.

Failure to treat (“improper treatment”): A patient is sent home from the hospital too early, without proper treatment, and suffers severe complications.

Infection: A patient contracts sepsis after surgery after improper sterilization of surgical tools.

ER errors: A patient with stroke symptoms is not treated promptly because of a staff miscommunication, resulting in long-term disability.

Testing/test interpretation error: A misread mammogram leads to delayed treatment for breast cancer.

When You Need a Hospital Mistake Lawyer

Many hospital errors have complex and life-altering consequences, including pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of income, and emotional distress. 

Suing a hospital can be similarly complicated; it often involves collecting medical records, poring over hospital policies, and fighting with insurance adjusters. When you or someone you love is harmed by a hospital mistake, it’s critical that you have an experienced hospital mistake lawyer by your side. 

Magna Law Firm is here to protect the wellbeing of Minnesotans who have been injured through hospital mistakes. We fight to hold the hospital accountable and ensure that you receive full, fair compensation for your suffering. 

If you have been injured as the result of a hospital mistake or medical error, speak to a hospital mistake lawyer as soon as possible. While these damages may last for years—or even the rest of your life—you must file a hospital mistake lawsuit within the statute of limitations for it to be viable.