Can I take action if I’m harmed by a nurse?

When you go to the doctor’s office or to a hospital, your primary contact is likely the nursing staff. You might have already thought about how serious it would be if your doctor was negligent or caused you harm, but most people haven’t thought about how serious it is when a nurse does the same thing.

You do have the option of seeking compensation if a nurse is the person who does harm to you when you are seeking medical care. This can occur in a variety of manners.

How would a nurse cause harm?

Think about how much responsibility nurses have in your care. They have to administer medication, take medical histories and obtain vital signs. In many cases, such as when a woman is hospitalized to give birth, the nurse provides the doctor with updates about the woman’s condition. The nurses are even responsible for monitoring patients and the equipment that the patients rely upon.

What parties would I seek compensation from?

The answer to this question depends upon the circumstances of your case. If the nurse acted in a negligent manner, the answer might be the nurse and the employer. If the nurse was purposefully harmful, you might only be able to seek compensation from the nurse. In some cases, the nurse might have professional liability insurance, which might also come into the picture.

Nursing malpractice cases are serious matters that can result in great patient harm. If you are a victim of this type of malpractice, make sure that you carefully consider all of the options that you have for seeking compensation.

Source: FindLaw, “Common Medical Errors by Nurses — When Can You Sue?,” Christopher Coble, Esq., accessed April 21, 2017