The Tragedy of Hospital Negligence

By Mitchell Proner

Published on November 17, 2010

Hospitals are responsible for every aspect of the services they offer, including their medical staff, their equipment, the maintenance of their facilities, and the handling of medical records. They are likewise responsible for ensuring that physicians, nurses, and other staff are properly licensed and trained. If they fail in their obligation to provide services in accordance with reasonable standards of safety and care, they can be held liable for any injuries or deaths that result as a consequence. If you or a member of your family has been the victim of hospital negligence, a qualified personal injury attorney with experience and a record of success in handling medical malpractice cases may be able to help you obtain compensation for pain, suffering, lost wages, mental anguish, and other losses and expenses.

Medical negligence occurs when a physician, surgeon, nurse, anesthesiologist, or other hospital worker fails to act as a competent peer would under the same circumstances. It should be noted that medical professionals are held to a reasonable, rather than extraordinary, standard of care; they are not expected to be perfect, nor are they expected to be immune from human error. That said, if they make a mistake or oversight due to a failure to exercise reasonable care and an injury or death ensues, they can be held responsible.

Medical malpractice claims are generally filed by personal injury lawyers on behalf of people who suffer severe physical or psychological injuries, permanent disability, or wrongful death at the hands of a negligent medical professional. Common acts of medical malpractice include:

• Surgical mistakes, such as performing an operation on the wrong patient or leaving an operating tool inside a patient
• Failure to diagnose a disease
• Incorrect diagnosis of a disease
• The failure of a pharmacist to fill a prescription correctly
• Anesthetic errors, including the failure to monitor oxygen intake and vital signs while a patient is under anesthesia
• Orthopedic injuries
• Injuries resulting from a physician operating under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or psychological trauma
• Failure to treat a diagnosed condition properly or in a timely manner

If you or someone you love has been injured by hospital negligence, please contact Mitchell Proner, an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Manhattan, New York.

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