Cleveland Hospital Negligence Lawyer

When patients are admitted to the hospital, they are extraordinarily vulnerable.  They trust that the dozens of doctors, nurses, therapists, aids and technicians who treat them are highly qualified and of impeccable reputation.  Unfortunately, medical negligence claims and errors in care are all too common.

As an experienced medical malpractice attorney, I have seen the consequences of hospital and emergency room malpractice.

I have been a Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer for more than 40 years. If you or a loved one has been injured because of hospital or emergency room malpractice, I can help you.  Call me free of charge to discuss your case. If a hospital committed malpractice resulting in a death or injury, “I’ll Make Them Pay!®. ”

Examples of Hospital Medical Malpractice

Delayed Treatment

Emergencies mean minutes matter, but often, hospital personnel are overworked and emergency rooms are understaffed.  A delay in treatment can be the difference between a full recovery and a lifetime disability.

In an emergency situation, there can be several reasons why treatment at a hospital may be delayed. Here are some factors identified in the provided web search results:

Transfer Time and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Admission

The time taken to transfer critically ill patients from the Emergency Department to the Intensive Care Unit can be a significant factor affecting treatment delays. The process of admission to the ICU should be expedited to ensure timely access to intensive care treatment.

Emergency Department Overcrowding

The high number of emergency patients and inadequate resources, including staff and beds, can contribute to overcrowding in the Emergency Department. Overcrowding leads to longer waiting times, delays in assessment, and limited availability of treatment spaces, ultimately affecting prompt medical care.

Reluctance to Admit Emergency Patients

In some cases, there may be a reluctance on the part of hospital staff to admit emergency patients, possibly due to resource constraints or other factors. This reluctance can lead to delays in receiving necessary treatment. Medical malpractice cases are necessary when your medical provider does not treat your emergency like and emergency.

Insufficient Number of Emergency Patient Admissions

Inadequate capacity or limited availability of emergency patient admissions can result in delays in receiving treatment. If the hospital does not have enough beds or resources to accommodate all emergency cases promptly, it can lead to delays in providing necessary medical care.

Reasons For A Medical Malpractice Case

Complications can arise from delays in treatment for emergency conditions. Some potential complications include:

Worsening of the Patient’s Condition

Without timely intervention, a patient’s condition may deteriorate, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Prompt treatment is crucial in preventing further harm or complications from the initial emergency condition.

Increased Risk of Adverse Outcomes

Delays in treatment can increase the risk of adverse outcomes for patients. Timely intervention is often essential for the best possible prognosis.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Delays in treatment that result in patient harm or adverse outcomes can potentially lead to medical malpractice lawsuits. Cleveland medical malpractice lawyers look for delays caused by factors such as inadequate resources, negligence, or failure to provide timely treatment. Medical malpractice lawsuits aim to hold healthcare providers accountable for any harm caused by their actions or inactions.

Errors In Medication

Giving a patient the wrong medicine is every nurse’s worst nightmare, but hospitals can be a hectic place. Improper record-keeping and overworked personnel can result in patients receiving either the wrong medication or the wrong dosage of medication. Either of these could result in permanent damage to the patient.

There are various reasons why someone could be given the wrong medication at a hospital. Here are some factors that can contribute to medication errors:

Medication Administration Errors at Home

Outside of the hospital setting, patients and caregivers are at risk for making medication administration errors, including wrong dose, missing doses, and taking the wrong medication]. These errors can occur due to factors such as confusion, inadequate knowledge, or lack of proper medication management practices. It is very important your doctor goes over your medication in detail with you when prescribing.

Errors at the Ordering or Prescribing Stage

Medication errors are most commonly associated with errors made during the ordering or prescribing stage. Mistakes made by healthcare providers in writing the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or frequency of administration account for a significant portion of medical malpractice injuries. In my history as an Ohio medical malpractice lawyer, I’ve seen several reasons for these mistakes. Factors include illegible handwriting, confusion between similar drug names, or incorrect documentation.

Possible Complications From Medication Errors

Adverse Drug Reactions

Taking the wrong medication can lead to adverse drug reactions, which occur when a person’s body reacts negatively to a specific medication. Adverse reactions can range from mild to severe and may include allergic reactions, organ damage, or other serious injury.

Worsening of the Underlying Medical Condition

The wrong medication may not effectively treat the patient’s underlying medical condition. As a result, the condition may worsen or progress, leading to potential complications, prolonged suffering, or delayed recovery.

Drug Interactions

If the medication interacts adversely with other medications the patient is taking, it can result in harmful drug interactions. These interactions can lead to unpredictable effects, including increased side effects or reduced efficacy of other medications.

Delayed or Missed Treatment

Taking the wrong medication can result in delayed or missed treatment, as the patient’s actual medical needs are not being addressed appropriately. This delay can negatively impact the patient’s health and recovery process.

Medical Malpractice Cases

Receiving the wrong medication at a hospital can potentially result in a medical malpractice lawsuit for several reasons:

Breach of Duty

Healthcare professionals have a duty to provide appropriate care, including accurate medication administration. Providing the wrong medication can be considered a breach of this duty, as it fails to meet the standard of care expected from medical professionals.

Negligence

Administering the improper medication can be seen as a negligent act. Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care or follow established protocols, which can result in harm to the patient.

Adverse Consequences

If the patient suffers harm or experiences adverse effects as a result of receiving the medication. Medical malpractice victims may seek legal recourse to hold the healthcare provider accountable for the resulting damages and losses.

As a Cleveland medical malpractice attorney, it is important to note that each situation is different. Detailed timelines and medical records are paramount to the success of medical malpractice claims.

Infections

Inadequate cleaning or sterilization of medical equipment will cause infection or illness. Hospital-based infections, such as the deadly MRSA bacteria, are becoming more and more common. “Every year, nearly two million hospital-acquired infections claim roughly 100,000 lives.” (Scientific American)

Infections acquired at hospitals, also known as nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections, can occur due to various factors.

How someone can get an infection at a hospital:

Presence of Infections or Toxins

Nosocomial infections are contracted due to the existence of infections or toxins in specific locations, such as hospitals. Hospitals can have a higher concentration of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, due to the presence of patients with various illnesses. Also, invasive procedures and compromised immune systems increase the chances that a medical error can cause further harm.

Routes of Transmission

Infections can spread in hospitals through various routes, including direct contact (touching contaminated surfaces or people), inhalation (breathing in infectious particles), splashes and sprays, exposure to contaminated water, and contact with body fluids. Healthcare settings provide opportunities for pathogens to be transmitted between patients, healthcare workers, and the environment.

Consequences of getting an infection at the hospital

Increased Illness Severity

Hospital-acquired infections can range from relatively minor infections with localized symptoms to more serious and systemic infections that can lead to extended hospital stays and severe illness. The severity of consequences depends on the type of infection, patient factors, and timely treatment.

Prolonged Hospitalization

Serious hospital-acquired infections may require additional medical interventions, prolonged treatment, and extended hospital stays. This can increase healthcare costs, disrupt the patient’s life, and potentially lead to further complications or delayed recovery. As a medical malpractice lawyer, I’m here to recoup payments for your unnecessary medical bills.

Increased Morbidity and Mortality

Infections acquired in hospitals can pose a greater risk to patients, particularly those with compromised immune systems or underlying medical conditions. These infections can lead to worsened health outcomes, increased morbidity (severity of illness), and, in severe cases, mortality.

Inadequate Training

Most doctors and medical professionals are highly-trained experts who work hard to save patients’ lives.  However, sometimes staff simply aren’t trained to handle certain situations or to use equipment they aren’t qualified to operate, resulting in patient injury, prolonged illness, or even death.

When hospital staff do not have adequate training, various issues can arise for the patient.

Examples of issues that can arise for the patient if hospital staff lacks adequate training:

Communication Problems

Effective communication between healthcare providers and patients is crucial for providing quality care and promoting positive outcomes. If hospital staff lacks training in communication skills, patients may experience difficulties in understanding their condition, treatment options, or instructions. This leads to confusion, misunderstandings, and potential medical errors.

Medical Errors and Complications

Insufficient training can contribute to medical errors, including incorrect medication administration, improper handling of medical equipment, and misinterpretation of test results. These errors can lead to complications, delayed diagnosis, worsened health outcomes, and increased patient harm. Inadequate training may also result in suboptimal infection control practices, putting patients at risk of healthcare-associated infections.

In my more than 40 years of experience as a Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer, I may be most frustrated by hospitals providing inadequate training. As a member of this community, I know the trust we give to our doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. Learning that some our of world class hospitals have allowed poorly trained staff to work with patients is disconcerting, to say the least. If you’ve experienced additional harm because of this, you need to call me. I’ll Make Them Pay!®

Unnecessary Procedures

Sadly, even the highest-rated hospitals and surgeons sometimes succumb to greed, risking patients’ lives by subjecting them to unnecessary surgeries. Just recently, EMH Elyria Hospital in the Cleveland area settled with the Department of Justice, paying $4.4 million in fines based on allegations of unnecessary heart procedures.

There can be several reasons why a patient may receive an unnecessary procedure at a hospital. Here are some reasons that could contribute to a patient receiving an unnecessary procedure:

Miscommunication and Inadequate Handovers

Miscommunication during handovers between healthcare providers can result in incomplete or inaccurate transfer of information. This could potentially lead to the recommendation or performance of unnecessary procedures. Inadequate communication can hinder the proper assessment of a patient’s condition, leading to a misunderstanding of the necessary interventions.

Variation in Medical Practice

Variation in medical practice among healthcare professionals can contribute to the occurrence of unnecessary procedures. Different physicians may have different treatment preferences, biases, or interpretations of clinical guidelines. This can lead to inconsistencies in decision-making regarding the necessity of a particular procedure.

Defensive Medicine

In certain situations, healthcare providers may recommend or perform unnecessary procedures as a precautionary measure to protect themselves from potential legal repercussions. The fear of medical malpractice lawsuits or patient complaints can lead to the overuse of medical interventions, including unnecessary procedures, in an attempt to avoid adverse outcomes.

Financial Incentives

Financial considerations can influence healthcare decisions, and there have been instances where patients have received unnecessary procedures due to financial motivations. When healthcare providers are reimbursed for each service or procedure rendered, may inadvertently create incentives to perform unnecessary interventions.

Lack of Second Opinions or Shared Decision-Making

In some cases, patients may not seek or receive second opinions, or they may not be actively involved in the decision-making process regarding their care. Without multiple perspectives or patient engagement, there is a higher likelihood of unnecessary procedures being recommended or performed.

It’s important to note that unnecessary procedures can have significant consequences for patients, including potential risks, complications, financial burdens, and psychological stress. It’s crucial to consult with medical professionals and conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the specific factors contributing to the occurrence of unnecessary procedures.

Your Cleveland Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Call me immediately if you or a loved one has experienced hospital malpractice.  Ohio law limits the time you have to seek a claim and discover the truth. Contact my office and let me help you today.