More and more hospital patients are being harmed, not healed, in hospitals. Infections, injuries, and medical errors are widespread these days. If you or someone you love has been injured while in the hospital, contact a New York personal injury attorney as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
In addition to contacting a New York personal injury attorney, if you are injured in the hospital, take the following steps:
Obtain medical records. All patients have a right to their medical records. Be sure to obtain a complete copy, including notes, test results, and diagnostic images.
Make sure the hospital reports the incident. Hospitals are required to investigate significant medical incidents and implement procedures to correct the problems. Try to be part of the investigation, or at least be interviewed regarding your account of what happened.
If the patient has died, order an autopsy. Autopsies are the most dependable way to find out what happened in an unforeseen death. Hospitals do not conduct autopsies as a matter of course, but the family has the right to have one, at least by an independent pathologist.
Meet with the doctor and hospital officials. Ask them how they will prevent future harm to other patients. If the patient has suffered damages or died, you can try to negotiate a discount on your medical bills or agree on a settlement amount. Make sure to bring a New York personal injury attorney with you to make sure that any agreement is in your best interest.
Report to regulatory agencies. While regulatory action is often much less tough than patients think is deserved, hospitals may be cited or fined and required to create a plan to improve the situation.
Contact Us
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury while in the hospital or any other personal injury, contact New York and New Jersey personal injury attorneys Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at (800) 529-9997 for a free consultation.
