Can I Sue the Hospital for the Wrongful Death of a Family Member?

From an early age, we learn that doctors help us with our illnesses and injuries. We trust that doctors and other healthcare providers will deliver the utmost care when we are in need, but the truth is that does not always happen. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff are human, and mistakes and errors happen.

However, when these mishaps are the result of negligence, and a loved one dies, then it is possible for surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death claim.

In case you have experienced a loved one passes away at a hospital because of substandard care, then you do have legal rights. It is best to speak with our Florida Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton to discuss your options for pursuing a wrongful death claim.

What You Must Prove in a Wrongful Death Claim

To successfully bring a wrongful death claim against a hospital, you must prove that:

• The healthcare provider owed your loved one a duty of care
• That duty was breached through negligent or substandard care
• The negligence directly caused the death
• The death resulted in damages for surviving family members

In simple terms, you must show that the care provided fell below accepted medical standards and that this failure led to your loved one’s death.

Common Examples of Hospital Negligence

Hospital negligence can take many forms. Some of the most common examples include:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
• Medication errors (wrong drug or dosage)
• Surgical mistakes, including leaving instruments inside the body
• Failure to monitor a patient’s condition
• Delayed or improper treatment

When these errors result in serious harm or death, hospitals and medical providers can be held legally accountable.

Examples of Hospital Negligence

Our Florida Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have seen all kinds of hospital negligence, ranging from giving patients the wrong medications to leaving behind surgical instruments, sponges, or other items behind in patients following surgery. When these grave errors lead to injury or even death, you must hold the hospital accountable for your losses.

While no two wrongful death cases are the same, factors such as the hospital’s role and supporting evidence can affect the compensation you receive. For example, if a patient is admitted to the ICU with abdominal and back pain suspected to be appendicitis, and the physician performs a laparoscopy only to find that appendicitis is not the cause, this could influence the case’s outcome.

The staff, busy with other tasks, choose to monitor the patient in a hospital room instead of running additional tests to identify the source of their pain. The medical staff left the patient in their room without monitoring vital signs for 12 hours. During this time, the patient’s condition worsened, ultimately resulting in cardiac arrest. When a nurse finally checks on the patient, they discover the patient has died. The coroner’s report determined that a kidney infection caused the patient’s death.

If the doctor had properly diagnosed the infection and monitored the patient correctly, he could have administered antibiotics and possibly saved the patient’s life. Infections can sometimes lead to death, but when healthcare providers diagnose and treat them early enough, patients often survive.

Some hospital negligence cases may not be as clear-cut as others, but our Florida Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can review your case and work with medical experts to uncover the truth and hold all responsible parties accountable for your irreplaceable loss.

Discuss Your Wrongful Death Claim with Our Lawyers For Free Today

While no amount of money can pay you back for the loss of a loved one, filing a wrongful death lawsuit can hold the at-fault parties accountable and lead to changes that improve the quality of patient care in the future.

You can take the first step toward obtaining justice and closure during this difficult time by calling our Florida Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton at 866- 608-5529 for a free consultation. You can contact us online 24/7. We can evaluate your claim and help you understand your legal options.