Who Can Be Held Responsible for Medical Malpractice in El Paso?
If a doctor’s negligence hurt you, you may have a medical malpractice case. Malpractice can occur at any point in the process of medical care and can be physically and financially devastating. Fortunately, if you have been the victim of malpractice, you are likely entitled to some compensation. Contact one of Carabin Shaw’s El Paso injury attorneys to discuss the intricacies of your case today.
How Is El Paso Medical Malpractice Defined?Medical malpractice is any medical care that is negligent to the point of causing injury to the patient. It can occur at any point during treatment by doctors or by hospital staff, such as nurses or medical technologists. If any of the following instances of malpractice sound similar to what happened to you, look to El Paso hospital negligence lawyers to handle your case.
Surgical ErrorSurgical error is one of the most common varieties of malpractice. It is an avoidable mistake made during the surgery that harms the patient.
Some instances of surgical error include operating on the wrong side of the body (which can potentially damage a healthy organ while allowing the condition of an unhealthy organ to worsen). Making unnecessary incisions that run the risk of infection and leaving surgical implements inside of the body are also examples of surgical error. For a surgical error to constitute malpractice, you must prove that a competent doctor would have behaved differently. You must also show that the mistake was responsible for your injury. If this is the case, contact a medical malpractice attorney serving El Paso to discuss the possibility of a hospital negligence lawsuit.
Prescription ErrorBeing prescribed the wrong medication or wrong dosage can have disastrous consequences, such as worsening your existing illness or causing additional, avoidable complications. A prescription error can be the result of a prescriber misunderstanding your condition. It can also be a result of a clerical error. Regardless of the cause, it is a gross violation of your patient rights. Are you considering filing an El Paso medical malpractice case regarding a prescription error? You will have to convince a court that your prescription—or lack thereof—was the result of negligence and that the absence of proper medication resulted in injury. If you believe that this is true, contact an attorney to discuss whether or not you may have a viable malpractice case.
Hospital Staff MalpracticeIn addition to doctors, nurses and medical technologists are also responsible for your well-being, and negligent care on their part can also result in injury. A nurse who neglects communication with your doctor may commit a surgical or prescription error. A medical technologist who fails to operate medical equipment properly can miss symptoms that should have been obvious, which leads to misdiagnosis. If you were a victim of malpractice by hospital staff, contact a lawyer about a potential lawsuit.
Holding the Correct Party ResponsibleWho can be held responsible for medical malpractice in El Paso? Most doctors work as independent contractors rather than hospital employees. Thus, if your doctor was negligent, you should direct your lawsuit toward them, as the hospitable is probably not at fault. However, if a hospital employee, such as a nurse or medical technologist, was negligent, you should name the hospital as the defendant. This step is crucial because the hospital is responsible for hiring and training these employees and monitoring their job performance. If you are having trouble deciding who is at fault for your injury, an El Paso medical malpractice lawyer can help.
Carabin Shaw’s team of El Paso hospital negligence lawyers has decades of combined experience helping clients with cases like yours. Contact our El Paso office at 915-779-2301 to start your legal process today. You can also reach us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260.