Emergency Room Errors


If you are taken to the emergency room, it is likely because of a serious medical concern or injury that requires prompt treatment. Unfortunately, an emergency room may be a chaotic place, and sometimes there are massive delays in receiving care. Although an error may be deadly, errors do occur, partly because of the compressed amount of time during which an ER patient must be treated. When emergency room errors are made by ER doctors, nurses, or staff members, the Ocala medical malpractice attorneys at the Dean Law Firm can help you file a claim to pursue compensation.

Emergency room errors may include incorrectly evaluating or misdiagnosing a patient, failing to notice symptoms of a heart attack, overlooking specific distress signals, failing to pass along important information to people working the next shift, or making prescription errors. Medication errors often result from misreading charts and may cause serious harm. A rushed staff member may fail to follow protocols, or a doctor may fail to order a necessary test. Sometimes a patient is treated incorrectly, resulting in exacerbated injuries or illnesses. In other cases, patients are sent home without being treated. An error of this type may result in death.

Under Florida law, a plaintiff has the burden of establishing emergency room malpractice. You will need to present enough admissible evidence to show that your harm was caused by actions taken in the emergency room. For example, you might need to prove that an ER doctor's failure to appropriately diagnose a condition caused you to need further hospitalization and care or that it caused your family member to die. Generally, you only have two years to bring your lawsuit.

Before we file a lawsuit on your behalf, we would need to consult an expert about whether malpractice occurred. After giving notice of an intent to sue, which includes an expert affidavit stating that you have a reasonable basis to sue, we would need to participate in a 90-day settlement process with the prospective defendants.

Noneconomic and economic damages that you may be able to recover include past and future medical bills, past and future wage loss, pain and suffering, mental anguish, household services, and loss of enjoyment. After suffering serious injuries or a worsening of a medical condition, many people are unable to enjoy their lives in the same way that they previously did. This item of damages may vary dramatically from individual to individual. Fortunately, damages are not capped in Florida medical malpractice claims.

At the Dean Law Firm, our Ocala medical malpractice lawyers are skilled at proving the full scope of a victim’s damages. You only have one chance to recover compensation for the harm that you have suffered, such as lost income, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. If you have been harmed by an anesthesia error, our injury attorneys can negotiate and litigate on your behalf. Call us at 352-387-8700 or contact us via our online form to schedule a free appointment. We also represent injured patients in Crystal River, The Villages, and other areas of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Citrus, and Levy Counties.