Establishing Liability for Emergency Room Errors
At the Portland medical malpractice law firm of Miller & Wagner, we advise people about their legal rights in cases of negligent diagnosis or treatment by emergency room physicians. If someone in your family died or suffered a severe injury due to errors on the part of an emergency medicine team, contact us in Portland to discuss your situation with a knowledgeable attorney.
We serve the needs of people with potential claims of medical malpractice in Greater Portland, western and central Oregon, and such Washington communities as Vancouver and Clark County. With more than 25 years of experience in the investigation and proof of negligence claims against doctors and hospitals in both states, Dave Miller knows what to look for in determining whether you have a viable claim for diagnosis or treatment errors in the emergency room.
The primary job of an emergency room physician is to figure out who needs to be admitted to the hospital. The ER triage process focuses on the treatment of obvious symptoms and injuries while eliminating the possibility of other risks and complications. There are many ways for errors to creep into this system with potentially disastrous effects for the patient:
- Failure to spot the symptoms of imminent heart attack or stroke
- Medication errors caused by undiscovered allergies or drug interactions
- Failure to order tests
- Failure to review medical records
- Failure to identify or protect against infection
- Discharge without proper instructions for prescriptions, further tests or follow-up visits
Because many emergency room patients are examined, treated and released without admission, it’s essential for the attending doctor to educate the patient about the next steps required for a complete diagnosis or effective treatment. This important step is too often overlooked.
Sometimes serious symptoms are downplayed or ignored because the emergency room staff suspects hypochondria or drug-seeking behavior on the part of the patient. In those situations, the negligent failure to admit or treat the person can be attributed to patient dumping.
At Miller & Wagner, we work with medical specialists who are highly qualified to review and comment on the errors of emergency room practitioners. Our experts’ ability to spot errors of judgment and technique is an indispensable part of your damages claim. Your lawyer’s job is to use this expert support to its maximum effect for proving liability and documenting your damages.
To put our experience to work for you, contact Miller & Wagner for a free consultation about your legal options in cases of emergency room negligence.