An astounding 115 million people in America are treated in emergency rooms every year, according to a 2007 statistic released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that more than 225,000 people die every year as a result of medical malpractice with emergency room errors accounting for almost half of those numbers. The hectic, stressful environment of emergency rooms combined with long work hours for medical professionals opens the door to a wide variety of medical errors that can lead to medical malpractice, including: • Incorrect or lack of diagnosis of a serious, life-threatening disease or infection
• Delay of vital treatment due to overcrowding
• Prescription or medication dosage errors
• Diagnostic test omissions
• Failure to consult specialists According to a study by Health Grades, Inc., 20-40% of emergency room patients were misdiagnosed by health professionals. It is these mistakes that can lead to further injury and wrongful death.
Emergency Room Medical Malpractice Case Examples
In 2004 a 40-year old woman visited an emergency room in Georgia complaining of a pain in her chest that felt like an “elephant sitting on chest.” The emergency room physician ordered lab work, an EKG and chest x-rays. The patient’s condition appeared to improve, then she “experienced ventricular fibrillation” and died. The physician’s actions were found to be substandard in diagnosis and treatment and it was determined that he did not conform to minimum standards set by the state medical board.
In 2006 a woman took her 14-month old daughter into an Illinois emergency room because the baby was vomiting and had a fever. The physician performed a blood culture test and prescribed medications and fluids. Later that evening the blood culture tests revealed that the baby had multiple forms of life-threatening bacteria. The hospital neglected to inform the mother of the condition and neglected to request that the baby be returned to the emergency room immediately. Tragically, the baby developed pheumoccal meningitis and died the day after the initial emergency room visit.
A 62-year old man collapsed from severe leg pain and was taken into the emergency room. The emergency room physician erroneously diagnosed the man with a simple muscle spasm and discharged him. Several days later the man returned to the emergency room where a different physician ran several tests and then properly diagnosed the man with a thrombosed aneurysm of the common femoral artery, which is in the thigh. A blood clot had cut off circulation in his leg which later resulted in amputation of his leg above the knee.
If you feel that emergency room medical malpractice is to blame for a loved one’s injury or wrongful death, it is important to hire an experienced malpractice attorney to handle your case. Do not let the statute of limitations run out to file a medical malpractice claim.
The medical malpractice attorneys of Snyder & Wenner, P.C. in Phoenix, Arizona are skilled at reviewing emergency room malpractice claims and obtaining fair compensation for victims and their families. Please visit their website as soon as possible to learn more and request a free case evaluation.
