Portland Hospital Malpractice Attorney

• Medication errors — This can include dispensing the wrong medication to the wrong patient, giving the wrong dosage, or failing to administer necessary medication;
• Failing to monitor patients — For example, if a woman is in labor and a nurse fails to properly monitor the mother and child’s heart rate, oxygen levels, or other vital signs, serious injury can occur;
• Wrongful discharge — This can happen when a nurse or staff member discharges the wrong patient or does not provide important instructions upon discharge;
• Not providing necessary assistance — If a staff member allows an elderly or injured patient to use the restroom on their own or walk around without help and they fall down, the hospital may be liable for their injuries;
• Not properly washing hands — Failing to wash hands is a leading cause of nosocomial infections (which are infections contracted in a hospital) and these infections can cause serious complications for already ill or injured patients.
• Assaults — If a hospital staff member intentionally physically or sexually assaults a patient, the hospital can be held responsible for the actions of the assailant and potentially for negligent hiring if the staff member had a history of violent or criminal behavior.

The above are only some of the many ways in which a hospital employee can act and cause injury. Hospitals are expected to hire and retain competent, qualified, and well-trained staff and the staff are then expected to provide a certain standard of care for patients. If either of these fail to happen, injured patients have the right to recover.