Emergency rooms exist to handle life-threatening conditions quickly. Every second counts when a patient shows up showing symptoms of a serious illness or injury. Doctors and nurses are required to quickly diagnose these conditions in order to avoid dangerous delays.
Unfortunately, some careless medical professionals fail to accurately identify what ails a patient in a reasonable amount of time. While not every mistake is an act of negligence, these errors can lead to devastating consequences.
If you or a loved one suffered harm after an emergency room visit, Slager Madry is here to help. Our team of Stamford medical malpractice lawyers can evaluate your care and determine if you suffered due to an avoidable emergency room error.
How Emergency Room Errors Happen
Emergency rooms move quickly, but speed does not excuse careless medical care. While doctors typically are able to care for their patients in these high-intensity situations, emergency room errors are more common than most people realize. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), errors impact around 5.7% of Americans when they visit an ER. Some of the ways these errors happen include the following:
Failure to Recognize Serious Symptoms
Emergency physicians must identify warning signs that suggest life-threatening conditions. Certain symptoms, like chest pain, should immediately raise concern among the medical staff, and waiting to treat these patients can be a sign of medical malpractice.
Diagnostic Testing Delays
Emergency departments rely heavily on diagnostic tests such as CT scans and electrocardiograms. These tests confirm whether a patient is experiencing a particular medical event, but they can only do that if the doctor orders the diagnostic test in a reasonable amount of time. If doctors fail to order tests quickly, treatment may come too late to prevent serious harm.
Overcrowding
Busy emergency departments sometimes struggle with long wait times and heavy patient loads. While hospitals must manage these pressures, inadequate staffing or poor triage procedures can increase the risk of mistakes. Patients with serious conditions may wait too long for evaluation or receive rushed examinations.
Communication Breakdowns
Emergency care often involves several professionals working together. Nurses, physicians, specialists, and technicians must share information quickly and accurately. Otherwise, if they fail to communicate, things can go wrong rapidly.
Medication Errors
Medication mistakes also occur in emergency rooms, and the results can be debilitating. A patient may receive the wrong drug or an incorrect dosage amount, potentially leading to severe consequences. These errors can happen when providers fail to review records carefully or rush through treatment decisions.
What to Do After an Emergency Room Error
If you believe an emergency room mistake caused harm, taking the right steps can protect both your health and your ability to pursue a legal claim. Acting quickly helps ensure that important evidence is preserved and that medical problems receive proper treatment.
- Seek immediate medical care. If your symptoms continue, worsen, or return after an emergency room visit, get medical attention right away. A second evaluation may uncover a condition that was previously missed or improperly treated.
- Follow up with another doctor or specialist. A new provider can evaluate your symptoms, confirm the correct diagnosis, and begin appropriate treatment. Their records may also help establish that the earlier care fell below acceptable medical standards.
- Request copies of your medical records. Hospitals are required to provide records related to your treatment. These documents often show what symptoms you reported, what tests were ordered, and how the emergency department responded.
- Preserve any evidence related to the visit. Keep discharge instructions, prescriptions, appointment paperwork, and notes about your symptoms or conversations with hospital staff.
- Speak with an attorney experienced in medical negligence. A lawyer can review the records, consult with medical experts, and determine whether the care you received violated the accepted standard of care.
Time Limits for an Emergency Room Error Malpractice Suit
If you are thinking about filing a lawsuit related to an emergency room error, it is important to understand you have a limited amount of time to act. If you don’t comply with the legal deadline known as the statute of limitations, you could lose out on any chance of recovering compensation.
According to Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 52-577, you generally have two years from the date of the error to file a lawsuit. This two-year period begins to count down on the date you discovered—or reasonably should have discovered—that medical negligence caused your injury. This is known as the discovery rule.
However, Connecticut also limits how much additional time the discovery rule can give you to file suit. You must file your lawsuit within three years of the date of your negligent medical care or lose out on your shot at compensation, no matter when you discovered the issue.
Learn How Slager Madry Can Help
If you or someone you love is living with the consequences of an emergency room error, it is vital that you seek out help right away. A Stamford medical malpractice lawyer from our firm can investigate your care and advise you on whether you have a case for compensation. Contact us as soon as possible for a free consultation with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies as an emergency room malpractice case?
You may have a case for medical malpractice if a mistake in an emergency room caused your injury or illness to worsen. This often comes in the form of a mistaken diagnosis.
Are strokes and heart attacks commonly missed in ER cases?
Yes. Mismanaged strokes and heart attacks appear frequently in malpractice claims because the failure to diagnose and treat these conditions immediately can be fatal mistakes.
How do you prove an emergency room error occurred?
Your attorney can use an array of evidence to prove a mistake occurred, including diagnostic tests and testimony from witnesses.
Can hospitals be held responsible for ER mistakes?
Yes. Hospitals may be liable if staff members were negligent or if hospital policies contributed to the error.