What To Do When You Suspect Hospital Malpractice

Many of us will, at some point in our lives, need the medical services of a hospital. During those vulnerable moments, we should be able to trust in the professional judgment and care of hospital staff. That trust is sometimes misplaced. At The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C., in Scottsdale, our attorney works hard to help hold negligent medical professionals accountable and to help you recover the full and fair compensation to which you are entitled.

Patient Safety And Patient Rights

Patient safety should be at the foundation of every health care system. Hospitals, as important treatment facilities, have a duty to follow acceptable standards of practice in protecting patients’ safety and respecting their rights.

A hospital, like any health care provider, is held to the standards exercised by reasonable medical professionals in the same medical field and under similar conditions. When they fail to do so, they may be held legally accountable for the harm that results. They can also be held liable for the negligence of their staff — including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, interns, residents and administrators.

Frightening Examples Of Negligence

Every year, tens of thousands of patients suffer devastating injuries or death from preventable medical errors in hospitals.

Examples of hospital negligence include:

Lack of training: Hospital staff must be adequately trained and supervised to exercise the proper care for patients.

Negligent hiring or retention: Hospitals have a responsibility to hire competent staff. If a physician with a long history of malpractice suits and complaints is hired nonetheless, his or her negligent conduct can potentially be attributed to the hospital’s hiring practices.

Insufficient staff or resources: For many reasons, hospitals must have adequate staffing. Understaffed environments are ripe for errors. For example, unreasonable treatment delays due to understaffing can lead to serious complications or death. Fatigued and overworked staff are also more likely to make errors in judgment such as misdiagnosing a serious condition.

Wrong-site/wrong patient surgery or procedure: Hospitals must have a protocol in place for ensuring complete accuracy and avoiding surgical mistakes. There is never an excuse for procedures conducted on the wrong patient or body part.

Failure to control infections: Hospitals are notorious for spreading antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and “superbugs” like C. difficile. Their failure to follow established protocol to prevent the spread of infection — or to properly diagnose or treat an infection — can lead to tragic results.

Get A Free Assessment Of Your Options

Hospital negligence is a serious problem in our nation. The Phoenix area is no exception. At The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C., we strive to fight back against that problem, one patient at a time.

Whether you suffered life-altering complications from an untreated infection or your newborn suffered brain damage from a medication error in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we can help. Our lawyer and staff share a passion for helping victims of malpractice and hospital negligence obtain justice.

We invite you to call our office in Scottsdale, Arizona, at 480-951-3949 or contact us online to learn more about your rights. The initial consultation is free, and you won’t owe any attorney fees unless we win compensation for you.