Overburdened Emergency Rooms No Excuse for Patient Harm
Parkland Hospital in Dallas was reportedly full yesterday and diverting incoming ambulances to other area hospitals. This is the same emergency room that treated President John F. Kennedy when he was shot in Dallas in 1963, and it’s also one of the leading trauma centers in the nation. However, loss of insurance and income, in addition to other economic factors, have overburdened America’s ERs, and Parkland Hospital is not the only institution to weather the backlash of the uninsured and underemployed in need of medical attention.
Most emergency rooms in the nation, including those in the vicinity of Cooper City, can attest to the challenges in treating not only true emergency patients, but also those who lack insurance or money and turn to the ER when medical attention is necessary but otherwise unreachable. This dynamic means treacherous ground for emergency room physicians attempting to strike an appropriate balance of providing proper treatment while adhering to emergency room policies, and in the scope of that struggle, the odds of tragedy increase.
A personal injury lawyer will verify that emergency room errors are not uncommon, and physician and nursing negligence are not unheard of. An emergency room patient may run the risk of not being fully evaluated; may be denied critical diagnostic testing which could result in a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis; may be prematurely discharged or “dumped” to another institution due to being under-insured (though still in need of stabilizing treatment); or something so simple as a rushed triage could result in missed symptoms or a serious medication error.
Though it’s certainly appropriate to sympathize with medical staff who work under this constant duress, it’s not appropriate to excuse medical negligence that causes personal injury. As medical professionals, they are held to a higher standard and ethics, and as such, are professionally and morally responsible for ensuring that patients are not harmed while in their care. A personal injury case involving emergency room negligence should not only be addressed for the sake of the victim and the victim’s loved ones, but also for those patients who will follow. A personal injury lawyer in Cooper City can review your emergency room care and determine whether negligence played a part in any unfortunate outcome that you have suffered due to emergency room negligence. A personal injury lawyer can also file a medical malpractice suit, as well as a wrongful death suit if warranted.
Personal Injury Lawyer Cooper City – Lawlor, Winston, White & Murphey are seasoned personal injury lawyers in Cooper City with a winning record of guiding victims through every detail of personal injury. Please visit our website at / or call our offices at 954-525-2345 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. If you’re concerned that you can’t afford the services of a personal injury lawyer in Cooper City, rest assured that we work on a contingency basis—you don’t pay us until you receive compensation.