What Might Happen if I Get Stuck in a Maryland ER Waiting Room?

You may experience all kinds of negative consequences after being stuck in an ER waiting room. This is probably the last place you want to spend your time, and you might end up waiting hours before a doctor finally takes a look at your issues. Aside from mind-numbing boredom and frustration at the medical system in Maryland, you might encounter some very serious issues after waiting too long in a hospital waiting room. If you have already experienced these issues firsthand, consider a consultation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Owings Mills.

 You Might Be Assaulted 

The longer you stay in a hospital waiting room, the higher your chances of suffering some kind of violent assault. Hospitals often attract extremely unsavory individuals, such as drug addicts, criminals, and the mentally ill. These people may attack you without warning or reason – leaving you with worse injuries than when you arrived. Depending on your circumstances, this could form the basis of a negligent security lawsuit.

 You Could Suffer an Infection 

There is also a high chance of infection while waiting in a hospital. Even if hospital staff pay close attention to disinfection protocols, you may still walk away with all kinds of diseases and infections. This issue may be particularly dangerous if you entered the waiting room with an open wound of some kind. Long waits also increase infection risks for elderly individuals – particularly those suffering from hip fractures after falls.

 Your Condition Might Worsen 

Your condition could worsen very quickly while waiting in the ER. A classic example involves a traumatic brain injury (TBI) patient suffering from a slow brain bleed. To the casual observer, this individual might seem completely fine. However, the intracranial hemorrhage may be putting excessive pressure on the patient’s brain – eventually leading to a stroke or coma. There are all kinds of other conditions that can worsen while waiting for too long.

 You Could Suffer a Permanent Disability 

Wait times increase the chances of permanent disabilities. If the brain injury patient suffers permanent brain damage because they did not see a doctor in time, their life may never be the same. Even a fracture can become permanently disfiguring and disabling if it is not addressed in time.

 You Could Die 

Perhaps the most obvious consequence is simple: You could lose your life. If you do not receive treatment in a timely manner for a serious issue, death is a real possibility. If you lost a loved one due to this type of medical malpractice, you could file a wrongful death claim.

 Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Owings Mills Today 

If you’ve been forced to wait an unreasonable amount of time in a hospital, contact a medical malpractice lawyer in Owings Mills at your earliest convenience. With help from one of these legal professionals, you can hold healthcare providers accountable for this inexcusable problem. Legal assistance may be especially useful if you have suffered some kind of injury as a direct result of your hospital waiting room debacle. Book a consultation with Furman & Honick Law today to discuss this important issue in more detail.

Source:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3106148/