What Happens If You Suffer Neglect at a Hospital?

Mar 27,2018

When you are admitted to the hospital for treatment, you usually assume (reasonably) that you are going to receive a high level of care from the doctors and staff. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Just like any other care facility, hospitals can be guilty of patient neglect. When this occurs and results in injuries, you might have a medical malpractice case.

Here are some examples of hospital neglect that could result in injuries:

Failure to reasonably prevent infections. If you are being treated in a hospital, there is always a risk of infection, since there is a high concentration of sick patients there. However, negligent behaviors can create a higher risk for infection. For instance, if the hospital has not implemented reasonable sanitation practices, that could be considered negligence.
Medical errors. It might seem rare to be injured due to a medical error, but it is actually more common than you might assume. Medical mistakes are actually the third leading cause of death, resulting in more than 200,000 deaths per year. Additionally, medical mistakes cost approximately $21 billion per year. Although not every medical mistake is grounds for medical malpractice, some certainly are.
Insufficient staffing. A hospital needs quite a few staff members available at all times to ensure it is run up to acceptable standards. If there are not enough nurses, doctors or other medical staff working, and that leads to you receiving substandard care—and becoming injured or ill as a result—you might be able to sue for damages.
Negligent hiring. If a hospital hired nurses, doctors or other medical staff that were ill trained for their positions, the hospital could be found liable for the errors made by their staff members. It is important to note that oftentimes, doctors are not employed by the hospital. Many times, they are independent contractors that work at the hospital. In some cases, you might still be able to sue the hospital for the doctors actions, even if he/she was not a direct employee of the hospital. However, you might instead have a case against the doctor, not the hospital.

“Patient neglect at hospitals is never acceptable. Patients who have suffered injuries due to hospital neglect should consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.