You likely know that if you ever suffer an injury due to negligence while receiving medical care, you can bring a lawsuit against the doctor who was responsible. But in regard to medical malpractice suits, doctors are not the only ones who may be held liable.
Depending on the circumstances that caused an injury, there are other parties that may be held financially culpable. For example, a hospital can be sued if it is shown that members of its medical staff were in some way negligent. In such cases, a hospital may ho ld what is called “vicarious liability.” But what might constitute vicarious liability?
When you are admitted to a hospital, that facility has a duty to try to keep you safe from harm. Medical care facilities are responsible for making sure that the staff members they hire, including physician’s assistants and nurses, have the requisite education and licensing to perform their duties. If a patient is injured due to negligent care on behalf of an unqualified staff member, the hospital might also be considered negligent and thus held liable.
Hospitals are also responsible for ensuring they have enough registered nurses available to see to their patient’s needs. A hospital may be held liable if a shortage of nurses leads to patient injuries.
There are other possible areas of liability that could be explored in the event of an injury occurring during the course of medical care. An investigation into the causes of an injury can be of help determining what parties may have been responsible.
If you are harmed during the course of a hospital stay, a medical malpractice attorney can look at your medical records and perform an investigation of the injury. Given that hospital negligence can cause a patient to have their condition worsened, receiving compensation could be very important for paying medical expenses for recovery.