Hospital Negligence In Atlanta
When considering medical malpractice in Georgia or elsewhere, we typically think of a lawsuit against a doctor or other medical practitioner. But what happens when it was the hospital’s negligence that caused a patient’s injury or worsened their medical condition? Can the hospital itself be held liable for medical malpractice in Atlanta? The experienced Atlanta attorneys for medical malpractice at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC are ready to evaluate your case and determine if an Atlanta hospital’s negligence is actionable.
What Is Hospital Negligence In Atlanta?
The administration of a hospital or other medical facility oversees hiring and all administrative procedures. When they make an error or oversight, the result can directly impact a patient, sometimes causing serious harm. Examples of hospital negligence in Atlanta include the following:
- Negligent hiring procedures
- Negligent training procedures
- Hospital-acquired infections
- Failure to transfer a patient’s complete medical history
- Inadequate staffing
- Lack of supervision
- Lack of internal communication
- Inadequate training for universal protocols before surgery to prevent wrong-patient, wrong-side, and wrong-site surgeries
- Mismanagement of patient records
- Equipment failures
In many medical malpractice cases, the hospital is directly liable for the injury victim’s damages due to administrative negligence. An individual physician is liable for medical malpractice only when they are an independent contractor. Unfortunately, many hospitals use independent contractors, particularly in emergency rooms, thus insulating themselves from direct liability for medical malpractice when a doctor makes an error.
What Is “Duty of Care” In Atlanta Hospital Negligence Cases?
Proving medical malpractice in Atlanta requires evidence demonstrating that the circumstances meet the legal tenets of malpractice, including for hospital negligence cases. The evidence must show the following:
- A provider-patient relationship existed at the time the patient suffered harm
- The hospital owed a legal duty of care to the patient, requiring it to treat the patient at the standard of care accepted as appropriate by the medical community
- They breached this duty of care through negligence
- The breach of duty directly caused injury
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
Damages in medical malpractice cases are often substantial and pervasive, sometimes including catastrophic injury, diminished quality of life, or shortened life expectancy due to a hospital’s negligence.
What Can I Get From a Claim Against a Negligent Hospital In Atlanta?
If you or a loved one suffered harm from hospital negligence, you have a right to demand financial accountability for your losses through legal help with filing an injury claim. Damages available in a successful claim include the following:
- Compensation for past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future income loss or reduced earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
In some cases, other damages may occur, including loss of limb, loss of organ, vision loss, hearing loss, scarring, or disfigurement. Additional compensation is often available for these are catastrophic injuries.
What Can a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Do to Help?
Proving that a hospital’s negligence caused you harm, such as an injury, catastrophic injury, worsened medical condition, shortened life expectancy, or a loved one’s wrongful death, takes a thorough investigation and access to medical experts. Contact the medical malpractice lawyers at Piasta Walker Hagenbush, LLC to put their years of experience, knowledge, and resources behind your case.