Four Types of Medical Errors in Emergency Rooms

Stewart Eisenberg | | Medical Negligence Blog
team of doctors working on patient

Medical errors can occur in any type of outpatient or inpatient setting. Emergency rooms are a health care setting where medical errors can occur.

There are several theories as to why medical errors are more common in emergency rooms than other health care settings. Overcrowding is one possible reason. Regardless of the cause, it is important to remain cautious while you or a loved one are receiving treatment in an emergency room. Emergency room medical errors may include:

  1. Diagnostic errors. Diagnostic errors are the most common type of medical mistake. In an emergency room, you could receive a missed, delayed or incorrect diagnosis. This may happen when hospital staff make errors during patient examinations or while conducting lab tests. Diagnostic errors can sometimes be more dangerous in an emergency room because patients may be suffering from acute conditions that require immediate treatment (such as a heart attack).
  2. Medication errors. Hospital staff may provide you with the incorrect medication or the wrong dosage. Staff may also administer the medication incorrectly. Depending on the type of medication involved and other factors, you could suffer an overdose or your health condition may remain untreated.
  3. Lack of supervision. Some emergency room patients require close supervision. For instance, some patients may have an increased risk of falling. Patients may suffer injuries if staff do not provide close supervision. In addition, doctors in their residency should be supervised by superiors to reduce the chances of medical mistakes.
  4. Emergency rooms contain deadly germs, including superbugs. Staff members can harm patients if they do not sterilize medical equipment or other hospital surfaces.

Filing a Lawsuit for Emergency Room Malpractice

Depending on the circumstances and legal implications, you may be able to file a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawsuit for an emergency room error. However, your situation would need to meet specific criteria.

Our Philadelphia emergency room malpractice attorneys can help you determine whether it would be possible to file a lawsuit. To schedule a free consultation with an emergency room malpractice attorney at Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C., call (215) 585-2814 or use our online case review form.

Stewart Eisenberg | Personal Injury Attorney
Author: Stewart Eisenberg | Personal Injury Attorney

Stewart J. Eisenberg is the founder of Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry. He has tried over 50 jury trials and has more than 40 years of legal experience representing victims of sex abuse, medical malpractice, and auto defects. He tried a crashworthiness case against Honda for a seatbelt defect. His paralyzed client received a record verdict (at the time) of $55.3 million He was part of the legal team that helped bring about the landmark $2.46 billion Boy Scouts of America sex abuse settlement. His distinctions include being on the Super Lawyers’ list for more than 20 years(Top 100 in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania) and recognized by the Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, and Product Liability Litigation. He graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania before attending Temple University School of Law where he served on the Law Review. He is frequently sought after to lecture other attorneys and has published numerous legal articles. He has also served as a Visiting Lecturer at Temple University, Beasley School of Law for the LLM in Trial Advocacy Program.