EMERGENCY ROOM MALPRACTICE
If errors on the part of an emergency room physician or personnel resulted in the misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment of a serious illness or health condition, call our office to learn if you have a case.
We represent clients with emergency room malpractice claims from hospitals and medical centers across Rhode Island. There are many reasons why an ER doctor might miss the symptoms of a heart attack, stroke or internal organ trauma that can kill or disable any patient rushed to an emergency room.
Emergency room medical personnel often do not have a great deal of time to carefully assess the actual extent of the medical event nor make an accurate diagnosis and consider all treatment options. As a result, malpractice on the part of an ER physician or other medical professionals can have disastrous consequences for the patient.
RESPONSIBILITY OF MEDICAL TREATMENT
Generally speaking, in Rhode Island the doctor is responsible for identifying the patient’s problem and stabilizing the patient’s condition prior to discharge or transfer for further treatment. Careful examination of the patient’s physical condition, review of medical records if available, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests correctly, and making appropriate referrals are all essential for proper emergency room treatment.
A emergency room malpractice claim in Rhode Island court might well represent the best alternative for someone who suffered harm under any of the following ER treatment circumstances:
- Failure to spot the symptoms of stroke, heart attack, heat exhaustion or bacterial infection
- Refusal to take the victim’s complaints of illness or injury seriously
- Misinterpretation of x-rays, blood tests, lab tests or other diagnostic tools — or failing to order them altogether
- Prescribing medications without checking for drug interactions or allergies
- Neglecting to consider the possibility of brain injury or internal trauma, especially in car accident cases involving blunt force trauma to the abdomen, chest or head
- Discharge or release of the patient without identifying or stabilizing his or her condition.
If you have questions regarding an emergency room error claim, call our office to speak with an experienced attorney about your situation. We offer a free case evaluation to better understand your situation and discuss your options.