People are rushed to the local hospital’s emergency room to get immediate medical attention after a sudden illness or accident. We count on EMTs and ER doctors to work quickly to save our lives, but also not to make misdiagnoses or other mistakes that actually make things worse.
Medical malpractice is never acceptable, but some doctors’ errors are simply baffling. For instance, say you tripped and fell, slammed your face against a piece of furniture and were taken to the ER. Wouldn’t you expect medical staff to at least check for brain and spinal injuries?
No diagnosis leads to paralysis
In one case outside of New Jersey, that did not happen. And the patient was paralyzed for life as a result. Now the hospital that failed to treat him properly has been ordered to pay him $2.8 million in damages.
The plaintiff was 63 when he suffered his fall, suffering a spinal injury. But the medical team that treated him in the ER discharged him without looking for signs of spinal damage. His attorneys say the man’s bodily functions could have been saved had he undergone prompt surgery, but he never got the chance. Instead, he suffered permanent paralysis.
The man later sued the hospital for medical malpractice and the jury found in his favor. While his attorneys were glad that justice was done, they were also sad because their client “will never fully recover what he lost.”
The purpose of medical malpractice law in New Jersey
The fact is, many victims of malpractice never fully recover. Medical malpractice litigation is intended to hold the right people financially responsible for the costs you have endured, such as extra medical care to fix the mistakes previously made.
If you or a loved one ever suspect you were harmed by medical malpractice, an interview with an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you understand your rights.