Common Emergency Room Errors
A misdiagnosis can mean such life-threatening conditions are left untreated for days or weeks
A trip to the emergency room is always stressful. Patients usually arrive at the emergency room due to unexpected conditions: violent acts, car accidents, sudden onset of an illness, etc. The environment is often chaotic, with people clamoring to be treated and/or sitting in the waiting room in pain. ER’s are thus some of the most stressful work-sites in health-care. However, the hectic nature of emergency rooms does not mean that a doctor can provide substandard care to a patient. ER doctors, nurses, surgeons, and all other healthcare professionals take pride in providing high-quality care despite the chaos.
Unfortunately, not all health care professionals meet that standard. M any different factors can result in emergency room negligence . Below are some common emergency room errors. If you feel that ER providers fell below the standard of care when treating you or a loved one, you may want to contact a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your case.
Emergency Room Misdiagnosis
A common issue in the emergency room is misdiagnosis. When things are moving fast, providers may not take the necessary step back to go over all possible diagnoses/treatments. This could result in:
- Improperly discharging patients who are critically ill
- not ordering the proper tests/scans/etc.
- prescribing the wrong medication or no medication
- missing a complication within a known injury (for example compartment syndrome in tibial fractures)
In turn, each of these mistakes can result in a delay in treatment or a failure to treat a condition that can be life-threatening, especially if it involves cancer , heart attack, stroke, etc. A misdiagnosis can mean such life-threatening conditions are left untreated for days or weeks. You have probably heard a story of someone who was discharged from the emergency room only to later discover they had a more serious condition. Unfortunately, this happens far too often.
Failing to Transfer Patient to Hospital
Due to the nature of the ER, an ER provider’s responsibility is to first stabilize the patient and then make decisions about their current/future care. Many ERs do not have the same capabilities as a hospital in terms of equipment and specialized doctors, etc. This means that ER providers routinely transfer patients to major hospitals and other facilities to get the proper care. Doing so helps the ER function, as it is only meant to stabilize people in emergent situations, not perform complex surgery, etc. Similarly, if you show up to a surgeon’s office bleeding from your head, they will probably tell you to go to the emergency room.
When ER providers failed to properly transfer a patient it can result in serious problems. Conditions like heart attack, stroke, or severe physical injuries require immediate surgical intervention. Failing to get patients that intervention can result in catastrophic injury or death.
Contact The Law Offices of Cardaro & Peek, LLC Today
Have you experienced an injury as a result of emergency room malpractice? If so, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Cardaro & Peek, LLC today.
The lawyers at Cardaro & Peek, LLC have the experience and resources necessary to investigate and litigate all types of medical claims throughout Maryland and Washington D.C. Cardaro & Peek, LLC has medical personnel on staff and has access to nationally recognized, board-certified physicians and other experts, to assist in the investigation, analysis, and prosecution of all types of medical malpractice claims. If you or a loved one have experienced malpractice, give us a call at 410-752-6166. Please visit our website www.cardarolaw.com and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn for more information.
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