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Seattle Emergency Room Malpractice Lawyers
Accomplished representation when Washington state emergency rooms make medical mistakes
Emergency room doctors and medical personnel often make decisions at a moment’s notice because it’s a matter of life or death. But when those decisions are rooted in bad policy, or when healthcare providers are reckless or negligent, you can hold them accountable for your injuries and losses. Smith McBroom is here to help you do that. Our Seattle emergency room malpractice lawyers have decades of experience representing victims of catastrophic injury. Contact us today to get started.
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What types of mistakes occur in emergency rooms in Seattle?
Most medical malpractice claims due to ER care involve missing a diagnosis or failing to make a diagnosis in a timely manner.
Common ER negligence by the medical staff includes:
- Failing to order the correct diagnostic test
- Failing to interpret diagnostic tests correctly
- Failing to obtain a complete medical history
- Failing to admit patients when necessary
- Medication mistakes
- Anesthesia mistakes
- Failing to refer the patient to a specialist
- Failing to competently treat the patient’s injuries or illness
Common ER negligence by hospitals includes:
- Liability based on the principle that employers are liable for the negligence of their employees
- Failure to provide clean and safe emergency rooms, equipment, and medications
- Failure to vet and monitor the ER staff
- Failure to ensure that ER staff is not overworked and overstressed
- Failure to provide sanitary tools, equipment, and rooms
- Failure to have proper patient safety policies and procedures in place
The failure to make a timely or correct diagnosis can cause the following conditions to become untreatable or cause severe harm until the conditions are ultimately treated:
- Cardiac failure, stroke, and other heart disorders
- Bleeding and blood clots
- Infections and sepsis
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injuries
- Appendicitis
- Accident injuries such as traumatic amputations, fractures, nerve damage, muscle injuries, burns, organ damage, and other injuries
- Skin injuries
- Respiratory illnesses
- Many other injuries and illnesses
At Smith McBroom, we hold ER doctors, hospitals, nurses, medical technicians, and others accountable for any type of medical malpractice.
Who is accountable when ER mistakes occur in Seattle hospitals?
At Smith McBroom, we file claims against all responsible parties including:
- Ambulances and other emergency transport services
- Emergency medical healthcare providers who provide care during the transit to the emergency room
- The ER doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other members of the ER staff
- The hospital where the emergency room is located
Our Seattle medical malpractice lawyers review what happened from the moment a patient enters a Seattle hospital emergency room until the patient is released – and until the medical disorder is properly diagnosed and treated. We conduct this review with seasoned ER doctors and other healthcare providers who can explain what went wrong during the ER care, what competent steps the healthcare providers should have taken, and what damage the ER medical malpractice caused.
How much is my medical malpractice claim worth in Washington?
We work with our own network of doctors and your doctors to determine what diagnosis the ER doctors should have made of your medical condition, and what treatments should have been provided. We also work with doctors who can explain the full consequences of these ER medical malpractice failures.
Our Seattle ER lawyers demand compensation for all your current and future:
- Medical expenses. These costs include hospitalizations, medical care to help correct the ER mistakes, including corrective surgeries, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vocational therapy, psychological counseling, assistive technology and devices, medications, and all other necessary medical care.
- Daily physical pain and suffering. We demand compensation for your continued pain and suffering until corrective action can be taken, and for your pain and suffering if corrective actions can’t completely cure your physical and mental health.
- Lost income and expenses. This amount includes compensation if you can’t work temporarily, or if you have a permanent disability.
- Other damages. These damages can include:
- Any property damage
- Losing the enjoyment of life’s pleasures
- Loss of consortium (marital enjoyment)
- Loss of bodily function
We seek punitive damages if the medical malpractice in the emergency room was unconscionable.
Smith McBroom also files wrongful death actions if ER medical malpractice caused the death of a close family member. Wrongful death damages in Washington include:
- Any outstanding medical expenses.
- The funeral and burial costs.
- Loss of financial support. The family of the deceased is entitled to be compensated for the financial support they would have received if the family member hadn’t died due to the negligence of others.
- The loss of This compensation amount applies to the loss of marital intimacy between a spouse or domestic partner and the deceased.
- Personal damages. These include the value of the companionship, guidance, and support the deceased would have provided each family member.
- Loss of services. This amount of compensation is the value of the household services the deceased would have provided.
We often work with professionals skilled at determining the value of a wrongful death claim. While no amount of compensation can bring your loved one back, a high compensation amount helps the families of the deceased honor their loved one’s memory by living their best lives possible.
Do you have a Seattle ER malpractice lawyer near me?
Smith McBroom meets ER patients at our Seattle office at 16400 Southcenter Parkway Suite 210. We do meet clients away from the office when they can’t physically come to our office. Our lawyers also consult with clients by phone and through video. We’ll guide you step-by-step through the claims process. We’re always ready to argue your case in court.
Talk with our Seattle malpractice attorneys now
Don’t wait. The sooner you speak with us, the faster we can review your medical needs and investigate what mistakes were made in the emergency room. At Smith McBroom, we’ve helped many medical malpractice victims just like you obtain strong verdicts and settlements. To schedule a free consultation with a Seattle ER negligence lawyer, call us or fill out our contact form. We handle ER negligence claims on a contingency fee basis.