Nurses Malpractice
The Institute of Medicine in 1999 referred to the incidence of preventable medical mistakes as an epidemic. This is no less true nearly a decade later, as medical mistakes result in serious harm to hundreds of thousands of patients every year. In as many as 98,000 patients annually, these preventable errors are fatal.
It is not only doctors who are responsible for medical mistakes. In recent years, nurses malpractice has become increasingly problematic in the medical community. Regardless of who committed the error, patients of medical malpractice have legal rights and the attorneys at Burke & Eisner are dedicated to ensuring those rights are protected.
Injured by Nurses Malpractice?
Nurses malpractice is not always immediately apparent to the patient. However, any time a patient suspects that malpractice has occurred, it’s always best to consult an attorney as soon as possible. For instance, you should seek a case evaluation with an attorney if you suffered injury after being:
- given the wrong medication or the wrong dose
- denied timely care
- treated by a nurse when you should have been attended to by a doctor
Even well-intentioned nurses make mistakes, but the consequences can be devastating nonetheless. Victims of nurses malpractice may suffer serious infection, organ damage, worsened illness, blood clots, other severe health effects and even death.
What Causes Nurses Malpractice?
There are numerous factors that may contribute to nurses malpractice, but some of the more common include:
- Miscommunication
- Failure to follow a physician’s orders
- Failure to adhere to accepted standards of nursing practice
Inadequate training and fatigue are also significant factors that contribute to nurses malpractice, particularly in recent times. With a shortage of qualified nurses in the U.S., hospitals and medical facilities are relying more and more upon unlicensed and unregulated nurse aides. This shortage has also led to nurses having to work longer shifts, making them more prone to suffer fatigue.
In 2004, a study revealed that fatigued nurses – those who work more than 12.5 hour shifts – are three times more likely to commit an error. Such long shifts are not uncommon.
Still, there is no excuse for nurses malpractice, and injured patients (and/or their family members) have a right to seek compensation for the losses they’ve suffered.
Contact an Attorney after Nurses Malpractice
If nurses malpractice has caused serious harm to you or your loved one, you may be entitled to damages such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, disability and rehabilitation costs, and loss of enjoyment of life, among other things. However, you only have a certain amount of time to file a claim against the negligent party(s), so you should contact a lawyer as soon as you suspect malpractice.
An experienced attorney can evaluate your case to determine if nurses malpractice is to blame for the harm you or your loved one has experienced. At Burke & Eisner, we’re happy to evaluate your claim free of charge and answer any legal questions you have about your case.
Three ways to Contact Us:
-- Fill out the Contact Us form in the Upper Right part of this page.
-- Use the Contact Us form located on the Instant Answer Page
-- Call us: 1-800-838-0800
See Also:
Burke & Eisner Law Blogs
