Department of Health Cites Hospital for Medical Error | Seattle Injury Attorney

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The most difficult part of my job as a Bellevue medical malpractice attorney and Seattle wrongful death lawyer is listening to the testimonies of families who have lost a loved one due to medical error. When people think about wrongful death, they generally imagine it is a result of fatal injuries sustained in a car crash, work accident or sports disaster. Rarely do we think of wrongful death coming upon healthy individuals in a hospital. Patients, however, will go into hospitals for common surgery and die because of medical error. In fact, every year, 46,000 people are killed in auto accidents while 200,000 are estimated to be killed by medical error. Hospitals are safe places, but if the proper precautions aren’t taken, they can also be lethal.

Last September, an infant was being prepared for transfer to the hospital, but before the baby was taken away, a nurse from the children’s transport administered a medication to the baby without proper authorization from a medical physician. The infant, as a result of the medication, died. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) found, upon further investigation, that the hospital failed to ensure proper signed orders from a doctor when patients received medication. These cases along with the incident with the infant were a result of deficiencies in the hospital’s procedures.

Stories of fatal car crash victims are difficult to hear about, but the wrongful death of an infant is just as tragic. It is devastating when loved ones lose a child that didn’t get a chance to start their life, and even it becomes even more devastating when the death is the result of the serious error of a trained and trusted medical professional. Often times the legal issues that accompany a situation of this kind are hard to understand. If you have suffered a loss due to medical error or wrongful death contact our Bellevue personal injury law firm for a free consultation to discuss your case. There are attorneys who would like to go to work for you.

It is always difficult to learn of lives lost in auto accidents. The last thing you want to worry about in these situations is legal issues. In an attempt to provide you with much deserved help and assistance, I have co-authored a book with attorney Patrick J. Kang which is a guide for families of Washington wrongful death victims. The book is called, In Case of Death: Straight Talk on Washington Wrongful Death, and is available at no charge to Washington residents by clicking on the preceding link.