Phoenix Nursing Error Attorney
Every aspect of a patient’s healthcare experience could affect his or her final prognosis. Even a seemingly minor mistake could impede a patient’s treatment plan and lower the odds of making a full recovery.
Nurses provide critical medical care during a patient’s stay, from cleaning wounds to noticing distressing symptoms. A negligent nurse could make an error that ultimately injures or even kills a patient. Contact the Phoenix nursing error attorneys at Gallagher & Kennedy if you believe a nursing error caused you or a loved one’s recent harm. Our Phoenix injury lawyers may be able to help you obtain justice.
Why Choose Us?
- We have helped patients with medical malpractice lawsuits in Arizona for over 40 years, cultivating a reputation of excellence in the area.
- We can help make your future more manageable after a serious injury or the death of a loved one by achieving positive case results.
- We take nursing error cases on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t have to worry about the costs of legal representation.
When To Call a Nursing Error Lawyer
Almost all medical malpractice claims in Arizona require an attorney’s assistance. The state’s filing rules for medical malpractice lawsuits require an attorney to submit a sworn affidavit from an expert witness describing what the defendant did wrong. Trying to handle your claim alone may lead to common mistakes that could bar you from recovery, such as missing your statute of limitations. Gallagher & Kennedy’s Phoenix medical malpractice attorneys can help you take action against a negligent nurse in Arizona.
What Are Nursing Errors?
Nurses play vital roles in the medical industry. They intermediate between patients and physicians, care for patients during hospital stays, administer medications and perform dozens of other important tasks behind the scenes. Unfortunately, new, poorly trained, careless, or negligent nurses could fail to uphold the standards of care for their profession, resulting in serious patient injuries or deaths.
Failure to Provide Proper Patient Care
A nurse or staff member who neglects required duties to a patient could be considered negligent for such lack of attention. These things might include failure to provide food, water, or other basic necessities.
Medication Mistakes
Medication errors can cause grievous harm to a patient. These might include improper dosing, timing, or a drug interaction that results in negative consequences.
Lack of Proper Sanitation
Hygienic facilities and care are essential for ensuring adequate treatment for the injured and sick. A caregiver or nurse who fails to provide proper service in this area could contribute to secondary infections and other dangerous conditions for a patient in this setting.
Charting Errors
Incorrectly recording or reading information on a patient’s medical charts can result in serious harm. This type of error can further contribute to mistakes made by others should they also be misinformed by data that was falsely recorded.
Any action or omission by a nurse resulting in patient injuries or deaths could constitute medical malpractice. If another nurse had performed his or her job duties differently and prevented the damages in question, the defendant may be guilty of malpractice. As an injured patient or the loved one of someone who recently passed away while at a medical center in Arizona, you could have grounds to file a claim against the nurse and/or the health care center.
Common Causes of Nursing Errors
Failure to communicate
Miscommunication can occur for a variety of reasons within a medical care facility. Some common causes of communication failures are poor handwriting, understaffing, or lack of training.
Poor collaboration with other team members
The health and safety of patients rely on good collaboration and teamwork among those entrusted with caring for them. Disregarding the organizational systems that keep these healthcare facilities running could result in disastrous harm and a wide variety of errors.
Failure to obey interdisciplinary orders
Failing to heed orders passed through other staff members, such as doctors or surgeons, could constitute medical negligence or malpractice.
Failure to take adequate rest breaks (working while fatigued)
Many healthcare facilities suffer from understaffing or financial cuts that encourage nurses to work longer hours. Even under the best of circumstances, long shifts and lack of adequate rest can weaken a nurse’s short-term and working memory or cause lapses in attention that contribute to nursing errors.
Who Is Liable?
Liability is unique in nursing error claims compared to claims against doctors or surgeons. Physicians and surgeons typically work as independent contractors, while nurses are employees of the hospital. A medical malpractice lawsuit against an independent contractor holds the individual responsible for damages. A claim against an employee, however, will involve the employer’s vicarious liability.
Hospitals, doctor’s offices, emergency rooms, and surgical centers in Arizona are vicariously liable for their employees. If the nurse that committed the alleged malpractice works for the health care center, you could have a claim against the facility rather than the individual nurse. This could improve your odds of securing fair compensation since the facility’s insurance company will likely have better coverage than an individual nurse’s. An attorney from Gallagher & Kennedy can help you determine liability in your case.
Proving Liability
Personal injury claims involving medical malpractice or negligence can be complicated; detailed accounts of how an injury occurred and the specific actions that led to it may require investigation and insight from outside experts.
Our medical malpractice attorneys know exactly who to turn to and how to pursue the proof we need in order to bolster your claim for compensation. We will ensure that these processes are done in a timely manner and that we are prepared to refute any potential counter-arguments raised by the other parties’ attorneys or the insurance companies.
Recovering Losses
If you or a loved one suffered harm as the result of a nursing error, you may be able to recover more than you think. Our practiced attorneys will skillfully negotiate your claim to help you receive maximum reimbursement for your losses. Compensable losses which may be covered in a nursing error personal injury claim include:
- Cost of additional medical treatment as a result of the error
- Corrective surgery
- Lost wages and earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Speak to a personal injury attorney at Gallagher & Kennedy to find out more about what potential damages you may be entitled to claim. We will strive to ease the burden you’ve experienced at the hands of nursing error negligence by fighting for your right to fair compensation and equal treatment.
Seek Compensation for a Nursing Error
If you suspect a nursing error caused your recent injuries, illness, or infection, contact Gallagher & Kennedy to discuss your situation with a Phoenix medical malpractice lawyer. We have decades of practice area experience and may be able to help your family obtain compensation. We utilize our resources, experience, and knowledge to provide the best legal counsel possible. Our Phoenix nursing error lawyers can research your incident and prepare your case for filing while you focus on getting well. Consult with an attorney today at (602) 530-8400.