Fairfax, VA Emergency Room Error Attorney

Trusted Emergency Room Malpractice Lawyers Representing Injured Patients in Fairfax, Virginia

People who come to emergency rooms may be experiencing serious health issues, and they trust that doctors and nurses will take the proper steps to recognize what is wrong and provide the proper treatment. Unfortunately, the personnel in emergency rooms may not always provide the level of care that patients deserve, and their negligence can lead to serious injuries.

At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer can help address the ways a patient has been affected by negligent care in an emergency room in Fairfax or the surrounding communities. With his experience in medical malpractice cases, he can help ensure that the causes of a patient's injuries will be identified, and he can take steps to obtain financial compensation that will address the damages that have been caused by emergency room negligence.

Reasons Why Patients May Suffer Harm in Emergency Rooms

Emergency room malpractice can take many forms, including:

Triage Errors

The triage process followed by personnel in an emergency room can ensure that patients with the most serious conditions will be treated first. Patients are assessed as they arrive, and different patients may be given priority based on the urgency of their conditions. Errors made during these assessments can result in delays in evaluating and treating patients. This may prevent a person from receiving timely care for a serious condition and cause them to suffer serious harm.

Failure to Diagnose Conditions Correctly

In an emergency room, a patient's condition may need to be diagnosed quickly and accurately to ensure that care can be provided within the proper timeframes. Issues such as heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolisms, appendicitis, meningitis, and sepsis will require medical providers to act quickly to prevent a patient from suffering harm. If a misdiagnosis prevents a doctor from properly identifying a serious condition, the treatment a person receives may be delayed, causing their condition to progress and potentially putting their life at risk.

Improper Assessments of Symptoms

The symptoms of serious conditions may be similar to those that can occur in other cases. Chest pain may occur because of a heart attack or for other reasons. A severe headache may be caused by bleeding in the brain or muscle tension. Abdominal pain may occur because of a ruptured appendix or gastrointestinal issues. Shortness of breath may be caused by a pulmonary embolism or anxiety. When an emergency physician does not assess symptoms correctly, they may diagnose a patient with the wrong condition and fail to recognize a serious issue that would require immediate treatment.

Inadequate Physical Examinations

Patients will need to be fully evaluated to identify health issues that will need to be addressed. An emergency physician who only performs a basic examination or who does not fully examine a patient to address potential concerns may fail to identify serious problems. This can lead to a delay in providing treatment or a failure to address a patient's condition at all.

Failure to Order Diagnostic Tests

To evaluate serious health conditions, diagnostic testing will often be required. This may include lab tests of blood samples, imaging tests such as CT scans or MRIs, and more. Diagnostic tests can confirm or rule out a diagnosis and ensure that the proper treatment can be provided. An emergency physician who does not order the proper tests may not have the information needed to make a correct diagnosis. This may prevent a patient from receiving the treatment needed to address emergency health issues.

Misinterpretation of Test Results

The results of diagnostic tests must be reviewed, and the proper actions will need to be taken to address the issues that have been discovered. A doctor may make mistakes when reviewing tests, or they may not take the correct steps to address the health concerns that are shown on test results.

Medication Errors

Medications that are administered to patients in emergency settings can be a crucial part of the treatment provided. Drugs such as opioid painkillers, anticoagulants, and sedatives can put patients at risk if they are not administered correctly. Medication errors can occur when patients are given the wrong medication or the wrong dose. Failure to account for an allergy can cause a patient to suffer a dangerous reaction. Failure to monitor a patient after a medication has been administered may also lead to injuries when complications occur.

Premature Discharge

Emergency room personnel will make decisions about when it is safe for a patient to be discharged or whether a patient should remain in a hospital for further monitoring and treatment. A patient who is discharged before they have been fully evaluated, before their condition has stabilized, or in a situation where close monitoring is needed due to potential complications may be at risk of harm. Injuries may also occur if a patient is not provided with the proper instructions regarding warning signs, complications, or other health issues after their discharge.

Contact Our Fairfax, VA Emergency Room Error Lawyer

Negligent care in an emergency room can cause a patient to suffer serious harm. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer can help determine whether doctors, nurses, or other personnel were responsible for injuries that occurred while a patient was in an ER. He will work to ensure that a facility or its personnel will be held liable for the damages a patient has suffered because of negligence. Contact our Fairfax emergency room malpractice attorney and schedule a free consultation by calling 703-591-0067.