People go to the emergency room (ER) when they have medical issues that require immediate attention outside of business hours or when issues are so severe that a doctor’s office likely lacks the equipment necessary to treat them. Medical professionals working at an ER often need to engage in triage procedures.
They evaluate each patient’s condition and determine how to allocate resources based on the degree of urgency and the likelihood of treatment having a positive impact. In some cases, medical professionals may send someone home from the ER instead of admitting them to the hospital while they are in a medical crisis.
For example, it is relatively common for medical workers to overlook the early symptoms of a heart attack in women, as the presentation is often different from male symptoms. Does it constitute malpractice if ER workers send people home without care or admission to the hospital?
Malpractice claims require significant professional oversight
The nature of the medical issue and the symptoms the patient experienced before arriving at the ER play a major role in the determination of whether or not they experienced malpractice. If the patient was presenting symptoms that could lead another licensed medical professional to the correct diagnosis, then the failure to diagnose the patient could constitute malpractice.
Typically, those who suspect malpractice must prove that a medical professional was negligent or failed to follow best practices. They must also suffer verifiable losses because of that mistake to have grounds for a malpractice lawsuit.
It is therefore critical to review the medical records of the ER visit and the symptoms reported by the patient with an unaffiliated doctor to determine if malpractice actually occurred. In cases where a faster diagnosis could have prevented the condition from worsening or saved a person’s life, the mistakes by the professionals staffing the local ER could constitute actionable medical malpractice.
Consulting with a medical malpractice attorney can help people determine if emergency room errors provide the necessary grounds for a lawsuit. Those affected by medical malpractice can pursue compensation to offset their losses and may prompt changes at medical facilities by holding physicians or their employers accountable for preventable medical errors.