Every single medical professional – physicians, nurses, technicians, support staff, etc. – are all human. Therefore, they make mistakes from time to time. Mistakes happen. Accidents happen. When missteps are quickly identified, they can often be remedied before any harm is done. However, all too often, accidents that occur in hospitals – where the stakes are always high – cause tremendous harm, whether they are quickly identified and are attended to or not.
As an experienced hospital accident lawyer – including those who practice at Cohen & Cohen – can confirm, the victims of hospital accidents are often entitled to significant compensation as a result of their suffering. However, these victims must first be aware that their harm has been caused by an accident and must discern whether their suffering is legally actionable before they can pursue rightful compensation. As hospital administrators aren’t often eager to admit to accidents occurring within their facilities, injury victims are too often left in the dark as to the accidents that have either caused or contributed to their harm.
When Are Hospital Accidents Legally Actionable?
When established patients of either individual medical practitioners or medical facilities are provided substandard care and are harmed as a result of that insufficient approach to the practice of medicine, they are generally empowered to hold negligent, reckless, or intentionally dangerous providers accountable for their suffering.
Although the issue of what constitutes “substandard care” is nuanced and varies a great deal based on context, there is a general rule of thumb that patients can refer to when trying to determine if they may have sufficient cause to file legal action. Essentially, if a healthcare professional or facility fails to provide the standard of care that another reasonably competent provider would give under similar circumstances, the offending provider has likely failed to uphold the professional standards owed to the injured patient by law.
Lastly, it should be noted that sometimes accidents happen due to substandard care and no one is hurt as a result. For hospital accidents to be legally actionable, the substandard care in question must have led to the injury of the patient filing a lawsuit.
Connect with an Experienced Attorney Today to Learn More
It isn’t always easy to know when an accident has occurred at a hospital, let alone to know whether an accident has resulted in patient harm. All too often, hospital administrators are eager to cover up the truth in an effort to minimize public relations challenges and limit liability. Therefore, if you aren’t sure of whether your harm occurred due to a hospital accident, it is a good idea to speak with an attorney experienced in this area of law.
Lawyers who practice medical negligence and medical malpractice law understand how to uncover the truth and how to protect the rights of victims in the process. If a hospital accident caused you or a loved one injury, you shouldn’t be made to suffer due to another’s missteps. Connect with a lawyer today to learn more about your rights and options under the law.
