Arkansas Attorney for Emergency Room Errors

When people get hurt, they often end up in the emergency room. While most doctors and nurses working in the ER are capable professionals, mistakes still occur. Some mistakes are inexcusable, and injured patients may seek compensation.

Errors in the emergency room can not only hinder a patient’s medical care but also cause further injury and damage. Common errors include, but are not limited to, diagnostic errors, delayed care, failure to order certain tests, and medication mismanagement. The hospital where you were injured may be held responsible, and an attorney can help you get fair financial compensation.

Speak to our lawyers for emergency room errors to get a free case review by calling our team at (479) 316-0438.

What Are Possible Emergency Room Errors?

The best way to understand what emergency room errors look like and how they can cause serious injuries to patients is to look at some common examples.

Diagnostic Errors

Making an accurate diagnosis is crucial to proper medical care. While doctors do not always get a diagnosis right the first time, a misdiagnosis is not always considered an inexcusable error amounting to medical negligence.

Generally, a diagnostic mistake may be considered medical negligence if another doctor treating the same or similar condition would not have made it. Again, mistakes in the hospital happen, but some mistakes are just inexcusable.

Delayed Treatment

ERs are infamously busy, and patients often wait for hours in the waiting room before being seen by a doctor.

Unfortunately, some patients’ conditions are not taken as seriously as they should be by ER intake staff, and they end up spending hours waiting when they should have been treated immediately.

ERs often triage patients, meaning they see those with more severe or urgent conditions before everyone else. It is the responsibility of the ER doctors and nurses to identify urgent needs and prioritize them. If they do not, a patient’s care may be delayed, and sometimes a few hours can be the difference between life and death.

Failure to Order Testing

When treating a patient or determining a diagnosis, doctors often order certain testing to be performed. It is a doctor’s duty to know what testing is appropriate and necessary to provide adequate medical care.

If a doctor fails to order testing that another doctor in the same position would reasonably know to order, they may be held responsible for any injury or delay in treatment to the patient.

Premature Discharge

Sometimes, patients are mistakenly discharged from the emergency room before treatment is complete. This might be because doctors misdiagnosed the patient or failed to order additional, necessary treatment.

Often, patients who are discharged too early go home where their condition continues to worsen.

Medication Errors

Medication is commonly dispensed in the emergency room. Sometimes medication is issued to treat pain. In other cases, it may be a part of a larger, more complex treatment plan. Either way, if the wrong medication or the wrong dosage is given to the patient, they could react badly or even die.

Failure to Monitor a Patient

When a patient enters the ER and requires more intense care, they should be monitored regularly. A doctor or nurse should frequently check in on the patient to ensure their condition is stable or, at least, not deteriorating. If a patient is left alone for too long, their condition could drastically worsen without anyone noticing.

How to Prepare a Lawsuit for Emergency Room Errors in Arkansas

If you or a loved one was injured because of an error in the emergency room, ask an attorney for help getting fair compensation. You may have numerous legal options worth exploring.

Evaluate Your Injuries

First, we must evaluate your injuries. People who go to the ER are usually already hurt, so our lawyers for emergency room errors must separate pre-existing injuries from those caused by the errors in the emergency room. This can be challenging, depending on what your injuries were and how they were affected by the errors.

Preserve All Medical Records and Documentation

Everything that happens to you in the emergency room should be thoroughly documented in your medical records. Even mistakes and errors should be recorded. We must ensure that all your medical records and any other documentation you receive from the hospital are preserved.

If you communicated with the hospital about the errors, we must preserve these communications. Save any letters and emails you might have sent or received and share them with your lawyer.

Expert Analysis and Testimony

Your case will likely revolve around expert testimony from a qualified medical professional. These experts can evaluate you to separate your pre-existing injuries you came into the ER with from new injuries acquired because of the negligent care. They can also determine the extent of new injuries and how emergency room mistakes caused them.

FAQs About Getting Compensation for Emergency Room Errors in Arkansas

Who is Responsible for Emergency Room Errors?

Generally, doctors and nurses who administer care and treatment may be held responsible for emergency room errors. Additionally, the hospital that employs these people may also be held responsible.

How Can You Get Financial Compensation for Injuries Caused by Emergency Room Errors?

You may obtain financial compensation for the harm caused by emergency room errors by hiring a lawyer to help you file a lawsuit. You may claim extensive damages related to your injuries, including medical costs, pain, suffering, and more.

What if You Were Already Injured Before the Emergency Room Errors Occurred?

If you go to the ER for injuries, a key part of your case will be separating pre-existing injuries from those caused by the medical errors. Generally, a you cannot recover damages from the doctor for injuries that existed before the errors occurred.

However, when medical malpractice occurs during treatment for another accident, the person who caused the initial accident can often be responsible for the malpractice damages. These damages would be a foreseeable part of the harm they caused you in the initial accident.

What Should You Do After Being Hurt Due to Emergency Room Mistakes?

After being injured because of an error in the ER, you should seek urgent care, possibly from a different doctor. You should also call a lawyer for legal help as soon as possible. If your condition is severe, you may want a friend or family member to call a lawyer for you while you are still in the hospital.

How Do You Know if an Error Occurred in the Emergency Room?

It can be difficult for patients to know whether an error has occurred, and they often rely on the transparency of doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators. If an error occurred and nobody told you about it, we may argue that fraudulent concealment is involved in your case.

Talk to Our Attorneys for Emergency Room Errors in Arkansas About Your Potential Case

Speak to our lawyers for emergency room errors to get a free case review by calling our team at (479) 316-0438.