Atlanta Emergency Room Misdiagnosis Lawyer
Going to the emergency room is never an enjoyable experience under any circumstances, but the least you should be able to expect from such a trip is a diagnosis of your condition and trustworthy recommendations about how best to address it. Unfortunately, misdiagnoses occur all too often in the emergency room, and while the environment in the ER can be chaotic for doctors and patients alike, that does not excuse grossly negligent care.
If you went to the ER and had your condition diagnosed incorrectly or not diagnosed at all, talking to a malpractice attorney with access to an in-house doctor may be in your best interests. An experienced Atlanta emergency room misdiagnosis lawyer could help you understand what happened to you and work to ensure you recover appropriate compensation for the losses you suffered as a result.
What Commonly Leads to Errors in the ER?
Emergency room staff being overworked, failing to recognize the urgency of patients’ symptoms, failing to perform proper tests or failing to perform the tests correctly, and/or failing to give proper instructions to patients can all contribute to emergency room errors. Additional factors that lead to such errors include overcrowding, misdiagnosis of more severe illnesses, improper communication between different providers, and failing to refer a patient to a specialist.
The conditions that are most at risk of being misdiagnosed in an emergency room are strokes and heart attacks. Both afflictions have significant symptoms and potentially deadly outcomes, but they are often missed if the proper testing is not conducted, as some symptoms can be confused with those of less serious conditions. An Atlanta ER misdiagnosis attorney could work with an individual patient to identify how his or her misdiagnosis occurred and what legal options are available in the aftermath.
Potentially Liable Parties
Medical professionals in emergency room settings should conduct thorough physical exams and patient histories to give providers a comprehensive understanding of the patient and his or her symptoms. Without well-rounded patient exams and histories, medical providers may struggle to determine the tests necessary to confirm a diagnosis or provide proper treatment. In such circumstances, a medical professional may be held responsible for an incomplete evaluation of the patient, not ordering the correct tests, or not recognizing the significance of the patient’s symptoms.
In Georgia, the hectic conditions of emergency rooms do not exclude healthcare providers who work there from liability. However, emergency room providers receive more protection from medical malpractice lawsuits because of those conditions. Rather than proving ordinary negligence against an emergency room provider, a victim seeking compensation in an ER medical malpractice case must demonstrate gross negligence, which is a more stringent standard than simple negligence. Additionally, the burden of proof is higher, a patient must prove her case by clear and convincing evidence rather than the usual civil case burden of a preponderance of the evidence.
If this standard can be met, though, an Atlanta lawyer may be able to hold multiple parties liable for emergency room misdiagnoses. These parties could include emergency room physicians, specialists who see patients in emergency rooms, lab technicians who interpret or conduct tests, and nurses who triage patients and care for them in emergency rooms.
Seek Guidance from an Atlanta Emergency Room Misdiagnosis Attorney
Under most circumstances, doctors, nurses, and other specialists who work in emergency rooms provide vitally important care to every patient who needs it. However, even highly trained medical professionals make mistakes, and if those mistakes result in avoidable harm to a patient, they can be held liable through civil litigation.
You should not have to suffer the many consequences associated with a misdiagnosis in the ER alone. To find out what could be possible in your situation, call an Atlanta emergency room misdiagnosis lawyer today. Legal professionals stand ready to offer a free case review, utilize cutting edge technology to bolster the strength of a claim, and take calls at all hours. Call today to speak directly to an attorney.
