When you visit a medical professional, you expect to receive the highest quality of care. Unfortunately, mistakes can happen, and medical negligence can occur. When this happens, you may be able to seek compensation through a medical malpractice claim.
Medical malpractice claims are complex, and it is important to know who can be held liable for a medical malpractice claim. If you are considering filing a lawsuit but do not know who can be sued for medical negligence in your particular case, discuss your situation with a lawyer. Our New York medical malpractice lawyers at Leitner Varughese PLLC can help investigate your case and identify liable parties in your unique situation.
Liable Parties in Medical Malpractice Cases
Did you know that medical malpractice is said to be the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.? According to a study by Johns Hopkins University, an estimated 250,000 deaths every year are the result of medical errors.
Let's discuss the different types of medical professionals or organizations that can potentially be sued for medical malpractice.
Doctors
Doctors are the most common defendants in medical malpractice cases. This is because doctors have the highest duty of care when it comes to their patients. It's up to doctors to diagnose and treat any medical conditions accurately, and if they fail to do so, they could be held liable for any resulting injuries or illnesses. In some cases, multiple doctors may contribute to a patient's injury—in which case all of them could face liability.
Nurses
Nurses also have a duty of care when it comes to their patients, and if they fail to provide the required level of care, they may be sued for medical malpractice. Nurses must carry out any orders given by the doctor while providing care that meets accepted standards and adheres to professional protocols. If they fail in this regard, then they can potentially face a lawsuit from an injured patient.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists are responsible for filling prescriptions accurately and ensuring that patients receive the correct dosage at all times. If a pharmacist makes an error in this regard, then he or she could be held liable for any resulting injuries or illnesses suffered by the patient as a result of taking the incorrect medication or incorrect dosage. This includes medication errors caused by misreading instructions from a physician or nurse practitioner, as well as mistakes made during the dispensing process itself.
Hospitals
Hospitals can also be held accountable if something goes wrong with a patient's treatment plan while under their care. Hospitals must provide adequate staffing levels in order to ensure that all patients receive proper care at all times. If not, then they can face medical malpractice claims from injured patients who were not adequately cared for while under hospital supervision. Additionally, hospitals may also be liable if their equipment fails while being used on a patient—such as faulty anesthesia machines or sterilization equipment—which results in an injury due to negligent maintenance practices or improper training on the use of such devices.
Urgent Care Centers
Urgent care centers are subject to similar rules as hospitals when it comes to providing quality healthcare services and protecting their patients from harm. However, since urgent care centers often have less staff than traditional hospitals, there may be an increased liability on these facilities for failing to provide proper staffing levels at all times or failing to properly train staff members on emergency procedures that need immediate attention during certain situations like heart attacks or strokes.
Contact Leitner Varughese PLLC to Identify Liable Parties in Your Case
It is essential for anyone considering filing a medical malpractice claim to understand who can potentially be held liable in such cases. Consider contacting our lawyers at Leitner Varughese PLLC to assist you in determining who was responsible so that those liable parties can be held accountable for the resulting harm and losses. Call 212-671-1110 to set up a free case review today.
