When experiencing a medical emergency, a San Diego resident may find themselves in the back of an ambulance and on the way to a hospital's emergency room. Emergency rooms are departments set up to handle the rapid diagnosis and treatment of critical patients who come in with traumatic injuries and sudden illnesses. Though many ER doctors are skilled at recognizing the signs and symptoms of serious complications in their patients, there are several reasons that dangerous and sometimes deadly emergency room mistakes happen in American hospitals.
Hospital negligence can lead to injuries, illnesses and death
Modern medicine is a marvel, and San Diego is home to some of the best hospitals and medical facilities in the country. As such, the residents of the metropolitan area are often treated to the best care and most highly trained medical professionals in the nation. In this incredible age of advancing science and improving treatment options it is hard to believe that mistakes and negligence can be present in the actions of doctors, nurses and supportive medical staff.
Determining party responsible for worsened condition is critical
Many California residents have been to hospitals to receive medical care and may recall the vulnerability they felt when disclosing painful medical conditions and discussing their medical history. They place their trust and confidence in the medical professional in front of them, be it a doctor, surgeon, nurse or surgical assistant. As a result of this trust, they expect the person treating them will act to the best of their ability and either treat or alleviate their condition. Unfortunately this is not always the case.
Protecting victims of nursing home negligence
Just like hospital negligence, nursing home negligence is a serious concern for residents and their families. Patients seeking medical care are oftentimes in a vulnerable position and this can be especially true of nursing home patients and residents. Elderly, and sometimes disabled, individuals move into nursing homes and long-term care facilities entrusting their physical and mental health to these facilities and relying on the expectation that they will be well cared for. At times, however, negligent care can cause harm to victims.
California Supreme Court issues medical malpractice ruling
A recent California Supreme court ruling may have a significant impact on medical malpractice cases in the state. The ruling addresses the statute of limitation for medical negligence claims in the state. Statutes of limitation are important laws that require certain legal claims to be filed within a specific time period or be forever lost. It is always important to be familiar with these rules and the statue of limitations for a specific claim.
Remedies are available to victims of nursing home neglect
Nursing home facilities are used in a variety of circumstances, including long-term care later in life as well as for rehabilitation after surgery or a serious illness. Nurses and staff at nursing homes, just like at hospitals, have a duty of care to ensure the well-being of patients while in their care at the nursing home whether they are there to recover from an injury or illness or are elderly and likely contemplating a more long-term stay at the facility.
Why do I need a medical release in a medical malpractice suit?
Nursing home restraint use may constitute medical malpractice
When Californians enter the care of a nursing home, or help a loved one do the same, they expect that nursing home residents will be treated not only with top-notch medical care, but also with genuine respect. Undoubtedly, they do not expect for a nursing home resident to be abused or to suffer a patient injury while in the care of trained professionals. Unfortunately, however, some nursing homes employ techniques that may lead to serious patient harm.
Deaf patients suffer from hospital negligence in California
Doctors and nurses must communicate with the patients who come into their emergency rooms in order to provide effective treatment. They must be able to understand what bought a patient into the hospital, a patient's medical history and allergies, as well as ongoing symptoms. When medical providers fail to effectively communicate with patients, errors may occur causing serious harm. This could also constitute hospital negligence.
What should Californians know about medical malpractice?
California doctors make costly mistakes every day. These medical mistakes result in injuries to patients and major medical expenses. Alarmingly, doctor malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, as approximately 200,000 people die every year from medical errors. These mistakes should be utterly preventable and, yet, doctors continue to make mistakes that cause patient injury and lead to unnecessary pain and suffering.
