When your loved one is taken ill, you take them to the hospital with the hope that they will receive the treatment they need so they can get back on their feet. Unfortunately, not all hospital admissions end with the patient’s recovery. Some illnesses end in death no matter how best the healthcare providers try to treat the patient.
But what happens if the hospital had something to do with your loved one’s demise? Well, in this case, you may consider pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the healthcare facility.
In the hospital setting, wrongful death happens when either the hospital or the staff (doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers attending to a patient) commits mistakes that result in the patient’s untimely and preventable death.
WHEN CAN YOU HOLD THE HOSPITAL LIABLE FOR YOUR LOVED ONE’S DEATH?
Doctors and nurses (collectively known as healthcare providers) are basically responsible for diagnosing and administering treatment to patients under their care – but they’re usually under the hospital’s control. You may need to pursue claims against both individual providers and the hospital involved when:
- The hospital hires inadequately trained staff and that led to fatal mistakes
- The hospital is understaffed and that led to your loved one’s death
- The hospital staff didn’t properly prioritize your loved one’s care
- The hospital willfully retains an incompetent or unlicensed staff
Healthcare facilities have a duty to provide appropriate treatment for patients under their care. However, if you lose a loved one due to the hospital’s negligent or wrongful actions, then you may consider pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the facility.
