We’ve all been to the emergency room and were made to wait for nurses and doctors to see us. We’ve all been in pain or discomfort and had to sit for hours on end while we wait to be treated.
However, the wait time in a hospital can mean the difference between life and death. While the direst cases are taken first mistakes can be made and negligence can lead to the death of an innocent person.
Many factors can affect how an emergency room operates, treats and clears patients as they come through the door. Major accidents, staff shortages, and even new procedures can cause an entire emergency department to become overloaded and fall drastically behind in seeing their patients. Hospital staffing problems can lead to many errors including:
- Inadequate training
- Failure to screen doctors
- Unsanitary conditions
- Failure in patient tracking procedures
- Unethical policies
You put in all these factors and the wait time in the emergency room will continue to rise as the staff cannot meet the demand of the injured parties in the lobby.
Every year people suffer serious injuries and even wrongful death while sitting in an emergency waiting room. What your attorney has to determine is whether or not that wait time contributed to or caused the injuries or death you’re suing for. The lawsuit must be able to prove that the healthcare provider acted negligently and you were a victim of their mistakes.
When having to go to the emergency room, you’re not making a choice. You’re not researching what doctor and nurse is best for you. Your lack of informed choices can lead to a disaster as you must trust that the hospital that you went into staffs quality healthcare providers. Yet, your time in an emergency room may be the most important and extreme medical attention you ever receive.
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