When we go to the emergency room or hospital, we expect doctors and medical staff in these facilities to take care of us and put us on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, hospital errors and medical mistakes relating to the administration of medications are extremely common. Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease and cancer and more than 250,000 people die each year from medical malpractice nationwide.
When hospitals make errors including those during surgery that cause serious injury or harm to patients, they should be held liable for the damages and losses caused. If you or a loved one has suffered adverse health outcomes as a result of hospital errors or administration mistakes, it is important that you contact an experienced West Virginia medical malpractice lawyer who will remain on your side, fight for your rights and make sure you receive maximum compensation for your losses.
Hospital errors are mistakes that are made by individuals employed by a hospital. The hospital can typically be held liable for mistakes under the corporate negligence doctrine. Employees of a hospital include but are not limited to doctors, physicians, surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, lab technicians, administrative staff, and clerks.
For a West Virginia medical malpractice claim to be successful, plaintiffs must be able to show evidence that the hospital employee was negligent or careless in some way. What this means is that the hospital employee owed the plaintiff a duty of care. You must show that the employee breached that duty of care, which resulted in injury and/or financial loss to you. The error must be related to medical treatment such as surgery in order to constitute medical malpractice.
Here are some of the common hospital errors that result in medical malpractice claims in West Virginia:
There are a number of steps you can take if a hospital error has injured or harmed you or someone you love. Here are the measures you can take to protect your rights:
If you have been injured or harmed as the result of a hospital error, you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses resulting from the error, additional hospital bills incurred, lost wages (if the injury caused you to miss work), loss of earning capacity (if you lost your ability to earn a livelihood as a result of the injury), court costs, attorney’s fees, past and future pain and suffering and potential punitive damages, if the errors were particularly egregious.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence or has been the victim of hospital or administration errors, it is imperative that you contact an experienced Morgantown West Virginia medical malpractice lawyer who can provide you with more information about pursuing your legal rights.
If you have been the victim of surgical malpractice at hospitals such as Ruby Memorial Hospital, Monongalia General (Mon General) Hospital, Mon Health Systems WVU University Health Associates, or private clinics in West Virginia, the knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers at the Robinette Legal Group PLLC can help you receive maximum compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost income, cost of additional surgery, hospitalization, permanent injuries, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Contact us at 304-594-1800 to find out how we can help you.