Every trained medical professional who works in a hospital—or any other medical facility, for that matter—is obligated to meet a specific standard of care with each patient. This standard of care is defined by what another equally qualified physician would do under the same circumstances. However, the people who own and manage medical centers also owe a duty of care to the customers who seek treatment at their facilities. Because of this, hospital management can sometimes be liable for injuries caused by medical negligence.
That said, holding hospital management financially accountable for malpractice is generally much easier said than done, especially if you try to file suit without the support of a seasoned malpractice attorney. The Hartford hospital malpractice lawyers at Berkowitz and Hanna LLC have handled numerous cases like yours and recovered compensation for patients all across the state. Let us get to work for you.
Typically, the people most directly to blame for an injury or illness stemming from insufficient care inside a hospital are the individual doctors, nurses, technicians, and other healthcare professionals who provided that substandard care. However, if a negligent healthcare professional is considered an employee of the hospital where they work, their employer—meaning the facility’s owners and administrators—may be vicariously liable for that employee’s misconduct in the course of performing their job-related duties.
Even if a doctor is considered an independent contractor while working inside a hospital or other healthcare facility, that facility’s owners may still be indirectly liable for that doctor’s malpractice if they fail to properly inform patients of the doctor’s employment status. Alternatively, hospital management may be directly liable for injuries that stem from insufficient property maintenance—for example, a patient contracting an infection because of unsanitary conditions in a hospital room. A Hartford hospital malpractice attorney can help you determine whether the facts of your case might make up a viable claim.
Just like with malpractice claims against individual healthcare practitioners, courts in Connecticut require all prospective malpractice plaintiffs to go through a “reasonable inquiry” process before formally filing suit. This process involves getting at least one qualified medical expert to assert under oath and in writing that there are valid grounds for a malpractice claim to proceed.
There are also strictly enforced filing deadlines for cases of this nature that can fall well before the full scope of long-term damages becomes clear. Once again, support from a seasoned lawyer can be vital to identifying and overcoming these kinds of procedural roadblocks during a hospital malpractice claim in Hartford.
Misconduct by anyone in a healthcare setting can have devastating and even life-threatening repercussions for patients. Malpractice can stem from institutional failures as well as individual ones, and hospital management may be just as liable for an injury as their individually negligent employees.
Legal assistance is available from an experienced Hartford hospital malpractice lawyer. Contact Berkowitz Hanna today to learn more about what we can do for you. Your initial consultation is completely free of charge.
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