Hospital Wrongful Death Liability
Can You File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against a Hospital?
Several factors can contribute to the cause of a patient’s wrongful death. This includes the following:
- The doctor(s) and/or nurse(s) showed negligence towards the patient.
- The hospital did not properly hire and monitor their employees.
- The hospital showed a lack of care with repairing equipment and supervising how medical care is done within the facility.
Those who have undergone such a tragic event may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the party at-fault for damages. At West Coast Trial Lawyers, we extend our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved one due to reckless actions committed by another party. Our qualified wrongful death attorneys are readily available to assist you to get you the justice you deserve. We have over 60 years of collective legal experience in handling personal injury cases and recovered more than $1 billion in settlements for our clients. As we continue to successfully achieve our objective of protecting our clients against injustice, we remain confident that we will deliver a good outcome to your case.
To schedule a free consultation at our Los Angeles personal injury law firm, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling 213-927-3700 or filling out our quick contact form.
Independent Contractor Liability
A hospital is not responsible for negligent actions done by a doctor since doctors are not employed under them. It is difficult to get an appropriate determination on whether a doctor or nurse is classified as an employee in a hospital. Their employment contracts must be reviewed to get an idea of how much control the hospital has over their work performance.
Generally, if it is shown that the hospital has a substantial amount of control over the doctor or nurse, then the courts might consider them as employees. It is essential to get an experienced wrongful death attorney to look into this case to give you helpful legal advice.
Negligence Committed by a Doctor
There are various actions that a doctor may commit that could potentially result in a medical malpractice due to their negligent behavior. This includes:
- Misdiagnosing the patient.
- Incorrect medication or medication dosage.
- Errors performed on a patient who is going through surgery.
- Handling pregnancy or childbirth negligently.
If reckless acts were done by an employed doctor that resulted in the death of a patient, then the hospital will be held liable for the patient’s wrongful death.
Medical Malpractice
Nurses are required to provide patients with the utmost professional care so the patients know that they are in good hands. However, nurses have made mistakes when taking care of patients that have resulted in injury or death. This includes:
- Giving the wrong medication or dosage amount.
- Giving medication at the wrong time.
- Failing to report any symptoms or complaints made by the patient to the doctor.
- Failing to check the patient’s vital signs appropriately.
- Not checking up on the patient to make sure that they are doing okay.
Hospital Negligence
A hospital may also be negligent when it comes to a variety of things. This includes:
- Not firing unlicensed or reckless employees.
- Not properly verifying whether or not the healthcare providers are appropriately licensed, or
- Understaffing.
Failure to provide safety rules also plays a big role in showing negligence. It is important for a hospital to have employees wash their hands, label and manage patient medication, and find ways to make sure that the patient does not endure serious falls. Overall, the main focus of a health care provider is to ensure that all patients are safe when entering the hospital.
West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here to Help
If you have lost a loved one due to negligent actions committed by another party, our expert team of wrongful death attorneys at West Coast Trial Lawyers will help you recover compensation for damages you have suffered. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, pain and suffering, and more.
Contact us today by calling 213-927-3700 or filling out our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate legal team.