When Tennessee residents visit an emergency room for medical care, it is with the expectation they will receive a correct diagnosis, quality care and answers to their medical questions. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. Sometimes, major mistakes in emergency rooms can happen, and the result can be serious injuries suffered by innocent patients. 

If you are a victim of a mistake made by a medical professional in an emergency room, you are not alone. It is possible you are a victim of a form of medical malpractice, which means you may have grounds for a civil claim. Victims of ER mistakes often suffer serious injuries and health consequences.

Understanding why it happens

Emergency rooms are busy places with various doctors, nurses, and technicians trying to treat and see patients as quickly as possible. It is high stress and high stakes, and mistakes can be rather common. It may be helpful to understand the following about medical malpractice in emergency rooms:

  • Research indicates that most of the mistakes made by medical professionals in emergency rooms result from faulty information processing.
  • Emergency rooms are quite different from other medical environments, and this could contribute to the mistakes made when doctors process patient information.
  • One of the other leading causes of mistakes in emergency rooms relates to problems with verifying information received from patients and diagnostic measures.
  • Inadequate information gathering and lack of knowledge contributed to only a small amount of emergency room mistakes.

In emergency rooms, most doctors have the information and tools necessary to treat patients correctly. The main issue appears to relate to incorrectly processing this information. There could be various reasons for medical malpractice mistakes in emergency rooms, but one of the leading reasons could be due to the burnout of doctors.

The rights of victims

If you were a victim of a mistake made in an emergency room and your health suffered as a result, you would be wise to take immediate action to protect your interests. Regardless of why the accident happened, you have the right to seek appropriate compensation for your pain and suffering. 

As a victim of medical malpractice, it can be helpful to start with a complete evaluation of your case and an explanation of the legal options available to you. This initial step can help you understand your rights, along with how you can move forward with the appropriate course of legal action.