When are hospitals liable for accidents that injure patients?

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Hospital accident lawyers Reston, VA residents trust have the answers

If you were injured while receiving treatment in a hospital, you might be wondering if you can file a lawsuit for medical malpractice and if you need to turn to hospital accident lawyers Reston, VA residents count on. Ultimately, you will be best served by consulting a hospital accident lawyer who can review the unique details of your case to determine if you have grounds for a medical malpractice suit. Depending on the circumstances under which you sustained your injury, the hospital may or may not be liable. Call today to schedule a free review with a hospital accident lawyer near you.

Hospital Liability for Employee’s Actions

A skilled hospital accident lawyer can clarify how the laws your state might affect your case, but hospitals are usually legally responsible for the actions of their employees in the workplace. This is especially true when an employee of theirs acts negligently or carelessly and harms a patient as a result. Hospital accident lawyers from Reston, VA will likely tell you that not everyone who provides medical care in a hospital is an employee of that hospital. However, the following providers usually are employees:

• Nurses
• Orderlies
• Medical technicians
• Cleaning staff
• Maintenance workers
• Miscellaneous support staff

If one of the above employees injured you while you were in the hospital, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the hospital with the help of a hospital accident lawyer.

Common Examples of Hospital Employee Accidents That Injure Patients

Accidents can take many forms. However, some are more common than others and those include:

• Hazardous floor conditions that cause a slip and fall accident. Hospital accident lawyers in Reston, VA will tell you that if the cleaning staff or another employee does not immediately clean up a wet floor, or there is another hazard, a patient can get seriously injured. This is especially true when they are using a walker or are attached to an I.V. stand.
• A nurse does not administer the correct medication or dosage to a patient and as a result the patient suffers harm.

Hospital Liability for a Doctor’s Actions

In most instances, doctors are not employees of a hospital. Rather, they are granted privileges to use the hospital in order to provide medical care to their patients. If your doctor injures you in an act of negligence or carelessness while in the hospital, you can hold the doctor liable, but probably not the hospital. However, depending on the circumstances of your case, there may be an exception. In that scenario, hospital accident lawyers from Reston, VA may recommend naming more than one defendant.

Determining if a Doctor is an Employee of the Hospital

After performing the necessary research, your hospital accident lawyer can determine if your doctor is an employee of the hospital or if they are an independent contractor. If he or she is an employee, then the doctor as well as the hospital can be held liable for your injury. As a general rule, there are two indicators to look for when establishing that the doctor is an employee of the hospital:

1. The hospital determines what fees the doctor can charge for various services.
2. The hospital determines what hours the doctor works, when they work, and how much vacation time they can take.

Protect Your Rights as a Patient

If you were injured while in the care of a hospital, you have the right to receive compensation from those responsible. To learn if you have valid grounds for filing a medical malpractice suit against the liable party or parties, talk to our legal team at Cohen & Cohen Call us today to arrange a free case review with hospital accident lawyers Reston, VA is proud to have in its midsts.