Key Takeaways
- Nursing negligence occurs when a patient suffers unnecessarily because a nurse fails to provide care in a reasonably prudent manner.
- Types include improper medication administration, failing to act in an emergency or notify the doctor, and injuring patients with medical equipment.
- Hospital downsizing, nursing shortages, delegation to less trained assistants, technology demands and greater nurse autonomy contribute to rising nurse malpractice.
- A doctor who was present and could have prevented the error may be liable, as may a hospital whose employee nurse was on duty.
- A lawyer can investigate injuries to prove negligence, assess damages, negotiate on your behalf and go to court if necessary.
Negligence is breach of a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent loss or injury to another person. Nursing negligence occurs when a patient suffers unnecessarily because a nurse does not perform in a reasonably prudent manner to care for the patient. If you have been injured because of negligent nursing, schedule a consultation at Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC. Our Portland nursing negligence lawyer is a tough advocate for people who have been injured through medical errors.
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Why Choose Our Nursing Negligence Lawyer?
- We have a reputation for success, after recovering multiple million-dollar verdicts for our clients.
- Our Portland medical malpractice attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience.
- We can negotiate skillfully and aggressively on your behalf and are not afraid to take your case to trial to recover the maximum compensation possible.
What Are Some Types of Nursing Negligence?
More nurses than ever are being named as defendants in medical malpractice lawsuits. As stated in a Lippincott Nursing Center article, the number of malpractice payments made by nurses nearly doubled in a three-year period. Charges of nursing negligence can arise from a wide range of acts or failures to act that result in patient injury.
Types of nursing negligence include:
- Improper administration of medications: A nurse’s task is to administer medications as ordered by a doctor. When the nurse fails to follow medication orders and the patient is injured, he or she may be negligent. A Portland medication error attorney can help you explore legal options and fight for a fair resolution to your case. A nurse may also be held liable for following doctor’s orders in a negligent manner, for example, injecting a medication in a muscle that should be injected in a vein.
- Failure to act when action is required: When a patient emergency occurs, a nurse who fails to take immediate and appropriate action, such as calling for help or administering medication, may be found negligent. This includes failing to notify the attending doctor of matters of concern.
- Injuring a patient with medical equipment: Examples include leaving a surgical sponge in the patient, burning the patient, or knocking into the patient with a heavy piece of equipment.
“At Paulson Coletti, ‘liberty and justice for all’ is more than just a phrase – it is our mandate. Our team of trial lawyers is driven to pursue justice for the injured, ensuring that the responsible parties are held accountable. Whether your case settles or goes to trial, you can trust our Oregon personal injury lawyers to be the legal advocates you need so your voice can be heard.”
What Are the Causes of Nursing Negligence?
Malpractice among nurses is on the rise. Contributing factors include:
- Hospital downsizing and nursing shortages: With fewer nurses, existing nurses have greater workloads, which increases the likelihood of error.
- Delegation: Cost-containment efforts of hospitals and HMOs have led to nurses delegating more tasks to less trained assistants. Depending on the situation, delegating a task may be considered negligence.
- Advances in technology: Nurses are required to understand a wide variety of technologies, including safety features, capabilities, and limitations.
- Increased autonomy and responsibility of nurses in hospitals: With the exercise of advanced nursing skills comes the greater risk of negligence and liability.
Who Is Liable for Nursing Negligence in Portland?
Liability in a nursing malpractice case revolves around who is responsible for the nurse’s negligent acts – the attending doctor or the hospital. If the doctor was present and had control to prevent the nurse’s negligence, the doctor may be found liable. The hospital may be financially responsible if the nurse was an employee of the hospital and fulfilling a job duty when the patient was injured.
“Most cases settle, but each of our cases is prepared as if it’s going to trial. The insurance companies know it and so do the defense lawyers defending them. That’s why we get such great results for our clients.”
Why You Need a Portland Nursing Negligence Lawyer
Nursing negligence cases may involve multiple potentially liable parties and complex medical issues. Our experienced medical malpractice attorneys can investigate your injuries to determine and prove negligence, fully assess your damages, negotiate skillfully on your behalf, and fight for your rights in court if necessary.
Contact Our Attorneys Today
Medical errors made by nurses can cause serious injury to patients. If you have been a victim of nursing negligence, contact Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC as soon as possible. Our Portland personal injury trial lawyers are committed to pursuing full and fair compensation for your losses.