Emergency Room Malpractice

Serving New Jersey and the Philadelphia metropolitan area

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does emergency room malpractice occur?

Emergency rooms are a very high stress environment, but that is no excuse for lax policies and hiring procedures. Emergency room errors are often the result of hospital negligence or wrongdoing including:

• Failure to maintain an adequate number of doctors and support staff per shift
• Failure to screen doctors and support staff
• Inadequate training
• Inadequate facilities
• Unsanitary conditions
• Inadequate patient tracking procedures
• Inadequate record keeping procedures
• Inadequate medication administration procedures
• Unethical policies (such as patient dumping and discrimination)
2. What kinds of errors happen in the emergency room?

Common emergency room errors include:

• Failure to fully evaluate a patient
• Misdiagnosis
• Delayed diagnosis
• Failure to diagnose
• Laboratory errors
• Failure to monitor a patient
• Patient dumping
• Failure to fully treat a patient
• Delayed treatment
• Inappropriate medications or improper doses
• Contaminated blood transfusions
• Surgical errors
• Negligence
3. What are common emergency room malpractice injuries?

Errors, such as those listed above, can cause a wide range of injuries including:

• Medication overdose
• Adverse reaction to medications
• Infections
• Second, more harmful occurrence of misdiagnosed medical event (such as a heart attack or stroke)
• Loss of limbs or organs
• Severe pain
• Brain injury
• Paralysis
• Extended recovery time
• Permanent disability
• Death
4. Who can be held responsible for emergency room malpractice?

Depending on your unique situation, the type of error, and the circumstances involved, there may be multiple responsible parties including:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Anesthesiologists
• Other emergency room staff
• The hospital itself
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Government entities
5. My spouse died because he was turned away by an emergency room. Since he did not receive any medical treatment, is it still medical malpractice?

Yes. Many emergency rooms have an unethical and illegal policy of discriminating against patients who cannot prove their ability to pay for treatment. This practice is called “patient dumping.” It is unethical, immoral, and it is a form of medical malpractice.

6. What can I do if I am the victim of emergency room malpractice?

Talk to a dedicated medical malpractice attorney who has experience specifically with emergency room malpractice. Emergency room malpractice cases are complicated and require special medical knowledge.

7. I have lost a loved one to emergency room malpractice. Do I still have a case?

Yes. If you have lost a loved one to medical malpractice you may still be entitled to compensation under wrongful death.

New Jersey medical malpractice attorney Michael L. Weiss, Esq. has tried several emergency room error lawsuits to a jury and has successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of medical malpractice victims and their families. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by emergency room malpractice anywhere in New Jersey, please contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C., today.

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