When a medical emergency occurs, surgery may be recommended for an ailing patient. When that surgery takes place on a weekend, there is an increased risk of harm. 

Why is this? Simply put, for most hospitals, the quality of care is better during the week than on weekends. Saturday and Sunday are days on which mistakes, misdiagnoses, and delayed care occur more frequently. 

What this means for you or a family member can be critically important to understand. If you have been injured as a result of a mistake made before, during, or after surgery, please contact Crim Law Office, PLLC today. Our team of talented West Virginia surgical malpractice lawyers advocates for injured clients. 

What Makes Weekend Surgeries at Hospitals So Dangerous?

There are a range of factors that contribute to the danger levels of weekend surgery at a hospital:

• Specialists who advise and perform surgeries typically do not work on weekends. In fact, finding a specialist within the hospital on weekends may be quite challenging. As such, an experienced physician who could help patients is nowhere to be found. 
• Typically, a range of tests is run on a patient depending on their condition and needs. Those tests can reveal whether there is an “objective” need to perform surgery. When those tests are not or cannot be administered, a lack of information can result in bad surgical outcomes
• Fewer nurses, physicians, and other employees work on the weekend in hospitals. Emergency rooms and hospitals must be able to maintain a certain “baseline” level of providers on weekends. However, it is still common to find that the number of medical professionals in a hospital is fewer on weekends.
• In addition to having a small staff working on weekends, the medical staff present for weekend emergency care and procedures are typically less experienced than those who work during the week. With seniority and experience comes the ability to determine whether to work on weekends. Most physicians and nurses choose to work during the week, leaving weekends free. 

What Mistakes are Most Commonly Made During Overnight Hospital Stays?

A misdiagnosis is a common mistake to encounter while receiving overnight care at a hospital. Misdiagnosis in a hospital setting may involve the misreading of a diagnostic test. Severe conditions typically have signs or other symptoms that should be recognizable to treating providers. When those symptoms are overlooked or misinterpreted, medical errors can occur. Certain mistakes can result in significant health consequences. 

In some situations, diagnostic tests may not have been performed when they should have been. A standard of care- the type of treatment that is reasonable for a patient in your specific circumstances- must be followed by treating providers in a hospital. When that standard of care is not met, a West Virginia surgical malpractice lawyer should be contacted. Our team of legal professionals can help you better understand what mistakes were made and what course of action may be taken to address them. 

What Does the Delay in Treatment Mean for Patients?

Reduced staffing levels in hospitals on weekends contribute to heightened danger for patients. Emergency rooms are chaotic environments where patients can be ignored to the detriment of their health. When an emergency room prioritizes the health of one patient over another, it places the doctors and nurses who make those decisions under a microscope. What happens if their decision to treat one patient over another ends up causing severe harm?

If your hospital care has been delayed, it is still possible that you have suffered significant harm, even if the care you received was proper. Crim Law Office, PLLC walks side by side with patients who have suffered delays, misdiagnoses, and other mistakes at hospitals over the weekend. Contact our office today for a free case review. 

How Can a West Virginia Surgical Negligence Lawyer Help You?

Hospital employees must provide you with care that meets the standard common among emergency room and hospital providers. When that standard is not met, you must be aware of your rights and how to advocate for them. 

A surgical malpractice claim is not easy to pursue. An experienced West Virginia surgical malpractice lawyer is uniquely suited to assist you after being injured during an overnight stay at the hospital. Proving that a breach of the standard of care occurred requires a firm understanding of the law and the evidence in your case. That this breach caused you to suffer harm as well as damages is an additional criterion that must be met by an injury victim. 

Our team provides representation to clients in a variety of circumstances related to hospital and surgical injuries. We understand the difficulties, pain, and disruption that have occurred in your home as a result of a healthcare provider’s mistake. Reach out to us today, and we can begin crafting a plan to address the damage you have suffered. 

What are the Advantages of Hiring Crim Law Office, PLLC to Serve You?

Crim Law Office, PLLC serves clients who have been injured after suffering injuries due to the negligence of a medical provider. Patients trust their doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to care for them in a range of circumstances. When a hospital stay results in an injury, that trust has been violated. That is where our team of legal professionals steps in to stand up for their rights. 

Our office continually seeks to improve how we represent clients’ interests. The focus of our practice is on our clients’ well-being. Addressing the harms they have suffered, planning a course of action to fight for damages, and making our clients whole are the key objectives of our law practice. We stand up for clients against hospitals and their insurance companies at every step of a case. 

Contact a West Virginia Surgical Negligence Lawyer for a Free Case Review

Don’t let your rights be stepped on after being injured. Contact Crim Law Office, PLLC today for a free case review.