Hospitals exist as a place for sick people to heal. But sometimes, patients come home with new severe injuries or ailments as a result of hospital negligence.
If you suspect hospital negligence after you or a loved one spent time in a North Carolina hospital, contact an attorney right away.
What Is Considered Hospital Negligence?
Sometimes people arrive at the hospital so sick or injured they die. Those scenarios would not be considered hospital negligence in North Carolina.
So what errors do constitute hospital staff being held accountable for negligence?
Some common errors that occur because of doctors or hospital staff’s negligence include:
- A doctor who misdiagnosis the patient or takes too long to diagnosis the patient, compared to another reasonable doctor with similar expertise and experience;
- Injuries that occur during childbirth, such as failing to order a c-section when needed or not recognizing fetal distress;
- Negligent prenatal care, such as failing to diagnose the mother with preeclampsia, failure to identify an ectopic pregnancy, and other conditions;
- Medication errors, ranging from prescribing the wrong dosage to administering the wrong dose;
- Administering too much or too little anesthesia;
- Surgical errors, such as leaving a foreign object in the patient, puncturing an organ, or poor post-op care which causes infection.
How Do I File A Negligence Complaint Against A Hospital In North Carolina?
If you feel you or a loved one suffered from hospital negligence, the best first step you can take is reaching out to an experienced attorney, such as the lawyers at Knox Law Firm.
The Knox Law Firm attorneys can help you report the hospital or doctors to the North Carolina medical board. After you notify the medical board, the hospital’s insurance company will usually be notified and may reach out preemptively with a settlement. Your lawyer can help guide these negotiations to ensure you get the largest settlement amount possible to help pay for your distress and any additional medical care you need. Currently, the cap in North Carolina sets the non-economic damages for injuries at $500,000, and the Knox Law Center wants you to receive the amount you deserve for your distress.
Reaching out to a lawyer right away is essential, as North Carolina enforces a three-year statute of limitations from the date the injury occurred or one year after the injury is discovered.
If your case goes to trial, North Carolina law also requires the plaintiff to call expert medical witnesses and shoulder the burden of proof in ER negligence cases. The Knox Law Firm team can help gather this evidence quickly and take the stress off of you as you recover.
We offer all potential clients a complimentary consultation so that you can discuss the merits of your case with a legal professional, stress-free from additional bills. Our lawyers have 60 years of experience working in North Carolina and providing our clients with excellent legal representation to win the compensation they deserve for any wrongdoing.
