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Emergency Room Errors

Baltimore Emergency Room Error Attorneys

Emergency Room Negligence & Malpractice 

When you visit the emergency room, you expect to receive prompt, proper treatment for your urgent medical condition. However, many ERs fail to provide an adequate level of care. 

Whether due to inexperience, understaffing, or the generally chaotic nature of emergency rooms, ER errors and negligence can have devastating consequences.

If you were injured, suffered a medical complication, or lost a loved one due to emergency room negligence, turn to the team at Brown & Barron. 

Our Baltimore emergency room error attorneys stand up for the rights of patients and families who have suffered immense harm due to medical malpractice. We are driven by our mission to hold negligent medical providers accountable, as well as our goal to improve healthcare standards and services for our community. 

If you or your loved one was the victim of ER negligence, contact Brown & Barron at (410) 698-1717 to speak to an experienced attorney at no cost. 

Emergency Room Standards of Care 

Just like any other medical provider, emergency room doctors, nurses, and personnel must uphold a certain standard of care when treating patients. However, due to the chaotic and urgent nature of these environments, emergency rooms are held to a different standard of care than other, less-hectic medical facilities, such as general practitioners’ offices, clinics, and even hospitals. 

Although the law recognizes that emergency room staff must make fast decisions and respond to often-changing situations, ERs are still required to provide an acceptable standard of care. When emergency room doctors, nurses, or staff members fail to provide the same level of care that another ER would provide in the same or similarly circumstances, they have violated the standard of care. If a patient is injured or dies as a result, the staff member or ER itself can be held legally responsible. 

Examples of Emergency Room Errors 

Emergency room errors take many forms and often have severe consequences for patients who were seeking care for urgent medical conditions.

Some common examples of emergency room errors include: 

  • Misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose
  • Failure to diagnose heart attack or stroke
  • Delayed diagnosis or treatment 
  • Failure to treat 
  • Improper triage (patient prioritization) 
  • Failure to perform or order appropriate tests 
  • Medication errors 
  • Improper follow up or aftercare
  • Improper or excessive blood transfusions 
  • Failure to sterilize equipment 

These and other emergency room errors can lead to serious and even life-threatening complications, such as fatal heart attack or stroke, worsening of symptoms or medical conditions, overdose, new injuries and illnesses, infections, sepsis, and more. 

If you sought treatment in an emergency room and did not receive proper treatment or were even sent home without treatment, leading to serious injury, you could be entitled to compensation. Additionally, if your loved one passed away after visiting an ER and failing to receive adequate treatment, you may have a wrongful death case.  

Common causes of Emergency Room Errors

Emergency room errors can occur due to a variety of factors, ranging from systemic issues within the healthcare system to individual mistakes made by healthcare providers. Some common causes of emergency room errors include:

  • Miscommunication: Poor communication among healthcare providers, especially during shift changes or when transferring patients between departments or facilities, can lead to errors in diagnosis, treatment, or medication administration.
  • Understaffing: Emergency rooms are often busy and understaffed, leading to healthcare providers feeling rushed and overwhelmed. Understaffing can increase the likelihood of errors due to fatigue, distraction, and the inability to provide timely care.
  • High Patient Volume: High patient volumes in emergency rooms can result in long wait times, overcrowding, and delays in treatment. This can increase the risk of errors as healthcare providers may not have enough time to thoroughly assess and care for each patient.
  • Lack of Access to Patient Information: In emergency situations, healthcare providers may not have access to a patient's complete medical history or relevant information, which can lead to errors in diagnosis and treatment.
  • Diagnostic Errors: Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is a common cause of emergency room errors. This can occur due to a failure to consider all possible diagnoses, misinterpretation of diagnostic tests, or inadequate patient assessment.
  • Medication Errors: Errors related to medication administration, such as prescribing the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or drug interactions, can occur due to factors such as illegible handwriting, confusion between similar-sounding medications, or inadequate medication reconciliation processes.
  • Inadequate Training or Experience: Healthcare providers who lack training or experience in emergency medicine may be more prone to errors when treating critically ill or injured patients.
  • Equipment Malfunctions: Malfunctioning medical equipment or inadequate maintenance of equipment can lead to errors in diagnosis or treatment.
  • Systemic Issues: Problems within the healthcare system, such as fragmented care, lack of standardized protocols, or financial pressures, can contribute to errors in emergency rooms.
  • Patient Factors: Patient-related factors, such as language barriers, cognitive impairments, or non-adherence to medical advice, can also contribute to errors in emergency room care.

Who is Liable for an Emergency Room Error?

Generally, the following parties may be held liable for an emergency room error:

  • Medical Professionals: Doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare providers who directly participated in the patient's care may be held liable if they deviated from the accepted standard of care and their actions resulted in harm to the patient. This could include misdiagnosis, medication errors, surgical errors, failure to adequately assess and treat a patient, or other acts of negligence.
  • Hospital: The hospital where the emergency room is located may also be held liable for an emergency room error under the legal doctrine of vicarious liability or respondeat superior. This means that the hospital can be held responsible for the actions of its employees, including doctors and nurses, if those actions occurred within the scope of their employment.
  • Pharmaceutical Companies: If the error involves medication, the pharmaceutical company that manufactured the medication could potentially be held liable if the medication was defective or if there was a failure to warn of known risks associated with its use.
  • Third-party Contractors: In some cases, hospitals may contract with third-party companies or individuals to provide services such as medical testing or radiology. If an error occurs in these services and it leads to harm to the patient, the third-party contractor could be held liable.
  • Medical Device Manufacturers: If an error involves the use of a medical device, such as a defective surgical instrument or malfunctioning equipment, the manufacturer of the device may be held liable for any resulting harm.
  • Government Entities: In cases involving public hospitals or emergency services, government entities may also be involved and could potentially be held liable for negligence.
  • Others: Depending on the specific circumstances of the case, other parties such as insurers, ambulance services, or even the patient themselves (if they contributed to their own injury) could be held liable.

Reach us 24/7 at (410) 698-1717 or by submitting a secure contact form

Compensation for Those Affected by ER Negligence

Because emergency room errors often lead to catastrophic injury and death, victims and their surviving loved ones tend to face significant physical, emotional, and financial hardships. Collectively, the economic and non-economic losses you sustain after receiving substandard medical care or losing a loved one due to medical malpractice are known as “damages.” By filing an emergency room error lawsuit, you can seek compensation for these damages. 

Every case is unique, but common damages in emergency room error cases include:

  • Medical expenses and future care costs
  • Lost income/wages from time taken off work 
  • Loss of earning ability due to permanent injury 
  • Physical and mental pain and suffering 
  • Emotional distress and anguish 
  • Funeral/burial expenses (in cases involving wrongful death)

At Brown & Barron, we are committed to helping our clients seek maximum compensation for all of their damages. Our Baltimore emergency room error attorneys work alongside medical experts and others who provide powerful testimony on behalf of their clients. We know how to utilize all available evidence and our access to high-tech resources to effectively advocate for our clients.

WHY HIRE THE ER ERROR ATTORNEYS AT BROWN & BARRON?

Emergency room errors have many significant impacts on the lives of victims and their loved ones. If you or someone you care about has been harmed by an emergency room’s failure to uphold the appropriate standard of care, you deserve justice—but the legal process of obtaining fair compensation and holding the liable party accountable can be extremely complex, time-consuming, and downright overwhelming. 

When you turn to the team at Brown & Barron, you can focus on what matters most: healing. While you and your family look to the future, we will take care of every aspect of your case. Our attorneys provide personal attention and dedicate one-on-one guidance throughout the legal process. We are always available to answer your questions, and we make it our priority to provide clients with consistent, honest communication. 

As your legal team, we will be there for you when you need us most. You can trust our Baltimore ER error attorneys to ensure your voice is heard as they fight for the maximum compensation you and your family are owed. 

We offer free consultations and contingency fees—you don’t pay unless we recover compensation for you.

Our Difference

Why Choose Brown & Barron, LLC?
  • An Unwavering Commitment to What's Right
    Brown and Barron is a law firm that fights for the most vulnerable members of society to achieve a true sense of closure after a devasting event. We are passionate about the people we work with and the cases we argue and will do whatever it takes to not only restore your justice but also restore your life.
  • A History of Being Responsive & Accessible

    Our firm culture ensures that all clients feel like family, as evidenced by more than 150 five-star Google reviews. We ensure from the beginning of your case until the very end that your voice is not only heard but echoed until you obtain the justice you deserve. We work with you throughout the process to make sure that the results we arrive at make sense for you and your family.

  • A Team of Dedicated Advocates
    Our legal team not only has over 137 combined years of trial experience, but we pride ourselves on being the top attorneys in our field. With a specialization in complex cases, we have attorneys who have not only graduated from the most prestigious universities, but who have also proved to be recognized with the profession's most distinguished honors.
  • A Proven Track Record of Success

    Brown & Barron has a history of results-oriented representation and we have obtained more than $90 million for our clients since 2017. Our team has a proven record of restoring lives and restoring justice.

Hear from Our Clients

Over 150 5-Star Reviews from Our Past Clients
  • "Brown & Barron, LLC has to be one of the best law firms in the state of Maryland"

    Brown & Barron, LLC has to be one of the best law firms in the state of Maryland, possibly the entire country. The quality of their service is second to none. They go above and beyond to serve their clients and get the job done.

    - Eric B.
  • "Exceeded All Expectations"

    The best professional experience I have ever been a part of. I trusted them the entire way, and they exceeded all expectations.

    - Darius L.
  • "I would recommend Brown & Barron to anyone who needs a lawyer for a medical malpractice case."

    Brown & Barron provided efficient, straight-up, and straightforward services in my medical malpractice case. They answered all my questions and kept me informed every step of the way.

    - D.D.
  • "Working with this law firm gave me confidence and comfort during an emotional and difficult time."

    After a two-year process, my case is resolved. I would like to commend and highly recommend Mr. Chris Casciano for his diligence, attention to detail, and support for myself and my family.

    - A.L.

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