Excessive Emergency Room Wait Times
If a person is suffering from a serious medical emergency, the individual may be forced to visit a hospital emergency room for treatment of injury or illness. In many emergency medical cases, time is of the essence, and a few minutes may mean the difference between successful recovery and lasting damage to the person's health.
It is the responsibility of medical professionals and emergency room staff to provide responsive care to patients in the waiting room despite the fact that the emergency rooms can be extremely busy. If emergency room wait times are particularly excessive, patients may be eligible to pursue a lawsuit against the facility for mistreatment. For assistance with your claim, contact the Washington medical malpractice attorneys of Fuller & Fuller at 800-570-4878 today.
Emergency Room Negligence
Hospitals may be held liable for negligence if:
- Emergency rooms are not adequately staffed with doctors, nurses, and support staff
- Proper administration procedures are not followed
- Proper patient-tracking procedures are not in place
- If a patient dies or suffers serious injury in a waiting room
- If waiting room conditions are unsanitary
- If diagnosis or treatment is seriously delayed
- Persons in the waiting room are not properly monitored
Persons who have suffered injury due to the negligence of hospital administrators or staff may be eligible for compensation for current and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering. If an individual suffers long-term disability or other lasting health issues as a result of an excessive emergency room wait, he or she may be able to expect compensation for expenses that go along with care and rehabilitation as well.
Contact Us
If you or someone you love has been injured due to an excessive wait time in an emergency room, contact the Washington medical malpractice lawyers of Fuller & Fuller at 800-570-4878.