Errors occur in hospitals more frequently than a patient may realize. Luckily, many of the oversights and errors that occur are harmless and go unnoticed. However, as with anything regarding a person’s health, it is possible on occasion for the harm to be significant and serious, and to have long term negative consequences. Due to the potential severity of these situations, and taking into consideration the general complexity of medical and legal claims, anyone looking to make a hospital or physician error claim should be sure to carefully prepare and seek professional advice. Anyone who was injured due to an error made by a physician in a hospital should contact a trained and qualified DC medical malpractice attorney as soon as is possible, in order to evaluate the claims. The attorney can advise about what could have or should have been done in a scenario and further advise as to what, if any, injuries are compensable.
Hospital’s Responsibility in Theses Cases
A physician’s practice, a hospital where the treatment was rendered, and any other physician and/or employer can be potentially responsible for the errors or omissions of a treating physician in a hospital. This is because of the nature of medical practice in the District of Columbia with physicians being employed by the hospitals and the medical group that agreed to insure against any potential errors made by an individual physician.
Challenges in Suing a Hospital or Physician
These claims and cases are very complex and some people may not understand the procedure in initiating a medical malpractice case. Sometimes, an injured person is required to first initiate and administer the proceeding, giving notice to the physician, the physician’s employer and/or hospital of the alleged malpractice and potential claim. There are time limits on any medical malpractice claim, which a person with no experience handling such things may overlook or not handle appropriately. Therefore, any of these administrative issues may prohibit an injured person from receiving fair and adequate compensation for their injuries.
Contacting a Lawyer
Many claims that seem straightforward are often actually not that clear-cut. Even the most uncomplicated medical malpractice claims can be difficult in proving the applicable standard of care and any breach of that standard. Anyone who believes they have sustained their injuries due to the negligence of a physician in a hospital should retain the services of a qualified attorney so that the attorney can advise them on any potential issues that will come up during the course of the claim, and work towards obtaining the best results possible.
Preparing a Claim
Anyone who believes they have been injured through the medical malpractice of a healthcare professional should seek a second opinion from a well-qualified trained medical professional in the same area of expertise to confirm that malpractice occurred. Once this information is collected, any and all communication between the physicians should be documented and all medical records should be collected to preserve evidence that may be necessary in these types of claims.