Who Can Be Held Responsible, the Doctor or the Hospital?

If you or someone you love has been injured due to the careless or negligent actions of a medical professional, you will have many questions. You may wonder who will ultimately be held accountable for what happened – the doctor or the hospital where the mistake occurred.

At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we have the experience you need to establish liability in these cases. Let our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys get to the bottom of what happened so we can secure the compensation you deserve.

Medical mistakes happen all the time in the US

We know that medical mistakes are a common occurrence. According to Johns Hopkins researchers, medical errors kill as many as 250,000 people each year, making them the third leading cause of death in the country. We know that many millions more are harmed by these errors and are left dealing with financial, physical, and emotional harm they leave behind.

Some of the most common medical mistakes that occur in the hospital include:

There are several different people or entities who can be held liable for medical mistakes. This includes medical personnel such as:

  • Doctors
  • Anesthesiologists
  • Surgeons
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • And more

These individuals can be held liable if their negligence causes someone harm.

Hospitals and their liability

It could also be the case that a hospital can be held liable for a medical mistake. This could include the hospital being held directly responsible for negligence or them being held “vicariously” liable for the negligent actions of their employers.

A hospital could be held directly liable for negligence if they fail to make reasonable inquiries into a potential employee’s education and training. They could also be held liable if they fail to make reasonable inquiries into the questionable actions of their staff.

Hospitals are also required to ensure that there is a sufficient number of staff members working at all times to maintain patient quality care. Understaffing is a common cause of missed diagnosis and failure to treat cases.

A hospital could be held vicariously liable for the actions of their employee if the employee was acting within the scope of their employment when a medical mistake is made.

We are ready to determine liability

If you or someone you care about has been injured or become ill due to the carelessness of a doctor or hospital, please seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Regardless of who is liable for your injuries, The Weitz Firm, LLC is here to help you secure the compensation you are entitled to. This can include:

  • Compensation for all medical expenses related to medical error
  • Coverage of lost wages if you cannot work
  • Loss of enjoyment of life damages
  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Punitive damages against the doctor or hospital

When you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.

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