Because of the harm medical malpractice can cause, it is imperative for victims of medical malpractice and their families to know who may be held accountable for medical negligence and medical errors. Legal protections can help hold negligent medical providers accountable and provide help for victims that they need.
To help keep victims of medical malpractice protected, a variety of different parties may be held liable for medical malpractice including:
- Negligent medical care providers: Negligent medical care providers including doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons and others may all be held liable for medical negligence based on negligent medical care they provide.
- Hospitals: Hospitals may be held liable for the medical negligence of their employees or their own medical negligence. Hospitals may be liable for negligently hiring, retaining or training employees and staff who harm patients. In addition, hospitals may be liable if they fail to safely and securely maintain the facility or their medical equipment.
- Pharmaceutical companies: In some circumstances, such as a failure to warn of potential side effects, pharmaceutical companies may be liable for medical negligence.
Medical negligence comes in different forms and can include a failure to diagnose, surgical errors or medication errors which can all have serious, and potentially deadly, consequences for victims. Medical care providers are held to a standard of care common to other medical care providers in their communities. If they provide care that falls below this standard, they may be liable for medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice is an important legal resource available to victims that they should be familiar with. Legal protections can help ensure victims of medical malpractice receive compensation for their physical, financial and emotional damages when they have been let down by their medical care provider.