DeKalb County Emergency Room Errors Lawyer
A failure to meet the standard of care is a common definition of negligence in medical malpractice. However, emergency rooms in Georgia are held to a higher standard. A DeKalb County emergency room errors lawyer may be able to help you to hold these negligent medical providers responsible for the poor care that resulted in your injuries. Contact a team of dedicated medical malpractice attorneys who could place your needs at the forefront of a case.
The Legal Standard for Proving Malpractice
Emergency room professionals have a duty to uphold a standard of care shared by medical professionals in other settings. However, the burden of proof and degree of negligence necessary for emergency room staff to be held liable is slightly different. According to O.C.G.A. §51-1-29.5, to hold emergency room staff liable, victims must provide clear and convincing evidence that the providers were grossly negligent.
To prove that gross negligence occurred, a victim in a medical malpractice case must rely on the testimony of an expert witness. Under O.C.G.A. §9-11-9.1, not only is a qualified medical expert required to present a case in court, but that same expert must submit an affidavit to the court to accompany the victim’s complaint. This affidavit must state that each medical provider named in the lawsuit committed at least one violation of the standard of care. An emergency room errors lawyer in DeKalb County could help injured victims to understand the legal barriers to obtaining compensation from grossly negligent medical providers.
How Does Medical Malpractice Occur in Emergency Rooms?
Emergency rooms in DeKalb County hospitals are chaotic places. This places a high burden on doctors and nurses, who nevertheless must meet the standard of care. A failure to meet this standard could occur at any time when a patient is in the emergency room. A failure to provide a prompt diagnosis is a common example of ER malpractice.
Doctors must also take the proper steps to a correct diagnosis. This includes ordering all required tests according to a patient’s complaints as well as recognizing problems that a patient may be unable to properly verbalize. In extreme cases, this may require admitting a patient for inpatient care or emergency surgery.
Finally, doctors and nurses must properly perform their procedures. From taking blood, to opening IV lines, to setting broken bones, to prescribing proper medication, a failure to adequately perform these tasks could result in catastrophic injuries that are the result of emergency room malpractice. A DeKalb County emergency room errors lawyer could help to provide an initial evaluation of the practices of the ER staff.
A DeKalb County Emergency Room Errors Attorney May be Able to Help
It is reasonable to expect that whenever we visit a qualified medical professional that that professional performs his or her job to the highest level of care. However, errors are a common occurrence in the medical field. This especially applies to staff in emergency rooms who have the obligation to quickly diagnose, treat, and stabilize every patient who comes in the door.
A DeKalb County emergency room errors lawyer could help you to take the legal steps necessary to pursue compensation following an ER error. This includes gathering evidence of the malpractice, working with a qualified in-house doctor, and representing your interests in settlement talks and in court with cutting-edge technology. To speak directly to a lawyer, contact a DeKalb County emergency room errors attorney at any hour for a free case review.
