Alarming Reports Of Emergency Room Malpractice In NY
On the night of January 26, 2014, John Verrier sat in the waiting room at a Bronx hospital emergency department, seeking treatment for a rash. Eight hours later, a security guard found him, still in the waiting room – dead.
This tragic case appears to be just the latest example of emergency room malpractice in New York. A hospital employee blamed understaffing for Verrier’s death.
“He died because (there’s) not enough staff to take care of the number of patients we see each day,” said the employee, who requested anonymity from reporters out of fear the hospital would retaliate against him. “We need more staff at St. Barnabas.”
30 year-old man dies in Bronx hospital ER
According to news reports, Verrier went to St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx at about 10 PM on a Sunday night. After his vital signs were checked, he was told to sit in the waiting area until his name was called. Hospital officials claim that Verrier’s name was called over the public address system as many as three times when doctors were ready to see him. But no one looked for him in the waiting area, according to the hospital worker. “Based on [the] number of people in the waiting room it is impossible to check on each person physically.”
A St. Barnabas spokesman asserts that surveillance videos showed Verrier “was still active and moving around as of 3:45 AM.” The security guard found him dead in the waiting room three hours later. According to the spokesman, “an internal review has concluded that all hospital guidelines were met.”
The hospital employee said, “There’s no policy in place to check the waiting room to see if people waiting to be seen are still there or still alive.” Verrier’s family is anxiously waiting to learn how this tragedy happened and how similar cases might be prevented in the future. “I don’t know how. I don’t know why,” brother Chris Verrier told reporters. “I don’t want this pushed under the rug as another mistake.”
Emergency room malpractice in NY
Emergency room malpractice is unfortunately all too common in New York and throughout the U.S. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Numerous victims and their loved ones, however, have been awarded significant damages after filing a hospital malpractice lawsuit in New York City.
To establish liability in a hospital malpractice suit, a patient must prove that the institution failed to provide the type of care that, under the same circumstances, a reasonably skillful and careful hospital would have given. The patient must show that he or she was injured as a direct result of this substandard care. And the patient or family must explain the kinds and amount of damages resulting from the hospital’s action or neglect.
Proving hospital malpractice requires the skill of seasoned attorneys who have the resources and expertise to build the strongest case possible and hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. Attorneys at The Sanders Firm have over 45 years of experience litigating medical malpractice lawsuits, including hospital and emergency room cases.
Hospital malpractice lawsuit in New York City
If you have been injured by hospital or emergency room malpractice in the greater New York area, or a member of your family has suffered injury or wrongful death, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. Simply complete the form to the right of your screen or call us at 1-800-FAIR-PLAY. We look forward to hearing from you. Resources
- NY Post, Man found dead in ER after waiting 8 hours for a doctor http://nypost.com/2014/01/25/man-found-dead-after-waiting-8-hours-in-er/
- NY Daily News, Man, 30, found dead after 8-hour wait in Bronx emergency room for rash http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/man-30-dies-8-hour-wait-bronx-emergency-room-article-1.1591629
