Many people who find themselves in a medical situation requiring hospital treatment, such as surgery or childbirth, do so with the expectation that they will receive safe and quality healthcare. However, when these individuals experience hospital negligence, the consequences can be devastating.
If a patient has been injured by hospital negligence, the law lays out precise rules enabling them to make a compensation claim. However, it is important to understand that just because a claim has been made, it does not mean that the hospital will automatically pay out. Ultimately, it is up to the courts and their appointed assessors to decide whether or not a claim should be awarded.
The most common form of LA Hospital Negligence occurs when a healthcare professional deviates from the accepted standard of care. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists and other medical personnel who treat patients in hospitals. The key to a successful negligence claim is proving that the hospital breached their duty of care to you. This is not as easy as saying that a doctor or nurse made a mistake, but rather that their actions were unreasonable given the circumstances.
This can be a difficult task, especially in cases of surgical mistakes, where the damage is often irreversible. It must also be proved that the negligence caused you harm and that, without it, you would not have suffered the injury. Furthermore, the injury must have resulted in financial loss and suffering.
In addition to doctors, other healthcare professionals who may be held liable for their actions include nurses, aides and other support staff who work in the hospital. It is important to remember that hospitals are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees, which means that you can sue the hospital if the negligent staff member was working for them at the time they caused you to be harmed.
One of the most significant causes of hospital negligence is when a healthcare professional fails to follow instructions provided by a patient. This can include not obtaining a patient’s informed consent before performing an operation, failing to check the patient for a known illness or disease or prescribing the wrong medication.
Finally, the hospital can be held liable for a patient’s injury when they fail to properly train and supervise their employees. This could include allowing an inexperienced worker to work on a high risk procedure, for example.
Inadequate staffing is another reason for claims of hospital negligence, where hospitals reduce the number of nurses to save money. This can lead to poor patient outcomes, particularly in emergency situations when a mistake can be fatal.
It is essential to consult with an experienced legal professional if you believe that you have been the victim of hospital negligence. Contact the team at Leandros A. Vrionedes today for a free consultation. We will look at your case in detail and determine what compensation you may be entitled to. We offer free initial consultations and our fee structure is transparent.