Wisconsin Medical Negligence Attorneys – Wrongful Death

If you lost a loved one while they were receiving treatment at a hospital or shortly after discharge, you have a right to investigate how your loved one was treated and whether they received proper care. If you are suspicious of what happened or have evidence that medical malpractice led to your spouse’s, parent’s, or child’s death, contact our wrongful death attorneys at Studinski Law, LLC today. We have years of experience litigating wrongful death medical malpractice claims based on hospital and physician negligence. We are ready to do what is necessary to determine what happened to your loved one, including hiring medical experts and filing a hospital wrongful death claim on your behalf. Call us today at (715) 343-2850.

Wisconsin Medical Negligence Claims

Under Wisconsin law, certain family members of the decedent may bring a wrongful death claim to obtain compensation when the decedent’s death was caused by a person or business’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongdoing. If your spouse, parent, or child passed away because of receiving negligent care at a hospital, then you may have the right to pursue compensation from the hospital for:

• Medical expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Loss of financial contributions
• Loss of inheritance
• Loss of society and companionship

Common Hospital Negligence Resulting in Death

Certain types of medical negligence have been known to lead to serious medical consequences and early death, including:

• Failure to obtain and observe patient’s history
  For a physician to be able to properly diagnose and treat a patient, they must take and carefully observe a patient’s full history, including previous diagnoses, allergies or sensitivities, and current medications. If a doctor fails to obtain a patient’s history or fails to act in accordance with it, there is a greater chance of doing harm to the patient instead of helping.
• Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
  When a physician does not properly diagnose a patient’s condition, this increases the chance that the condition could become worse, causing early death, or the patient could receive unnecessary medications or procedures. A delayed or misdiagnosis can occur because a physician does not order tests they reasonably should have ordered.
• Medication errors
  Medication errors are some of the most common acts of negligence in a hospital setting. A deadly medication error can occur by a physician prescribing an inappropriate drug, a physician or nurse administering the incorrect drug, a physician or nurse administering too much or too little of a drug, or a physician or nurse improperly administering a drug. When a patient does not receive an appropriate drug, in the correct amount, in the proper way, the risk of harm increases to the point where the medication error could lead to early death.
• Anesthesia errors
  Anesthesia enables physicians to perform operations on patients while they are unconscious and unable to feel pain. Errors in anesthesia, where a patient is given too little, too much, or an improper medication can lead to extreme harm. Too little and the patient may wake up or feel the procedure. Too much and it may affect the patient’s breathing, which could lead to brain damage or death. An improper drug could cause a deadly interaction.
• Surgical errors
  While surgical errors are less common than other types of hospital negligence, it is possible for a surgeon to perform the wrong operation on a patient, perform the correct surgery on the wrong side, or to leave instruments and supplies inside the person’s body.
• Premature discharge
  Hospital staff are often in a rush to discharge patients who they believe are capable of recovering at home, enabling new patients to take their places. This is usually less about wanting everyone to receive life-saving treatments and more about making the most money. This type of atmosphere can lead physicians to enable a person’s discharge before they are ready and when they still require medical supervision and proper care. Sending someone home too soon can greatly increase their risk of premature death.

Liability for Hospital Negligence

If we find evidence that your loved one passed away due to medical malpractice, we are ready to hold the treating physician, staff, and hospital responsible. Medical malpractice cases can be complicated and it is important to obtain a thorough understanding of exactly what occurred so that we can determine who is responsible.

Moving Forward With a Hospital Wrongful Death Claim

It can be intimidating to go up against a hospital in court. The facility will have an insurer and team of lawyers on its side, trying to protect the hospital’s image and save it money. It is best for you to work with an experienced legal team that is not afraid to face the hospital and its insurer in negotiations or the courtroom. We are prepared to work with the hospital and its insurer to negotiate a proper settlement that covers all of your and your family’s injuries. However, we are also ready to go through trial if necessary.

Contact a Wisconsin Medical Negligence Attorney Today

If you believe your loved one died because of receiving substandard treatment at a hospital, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Studinski Law, LLC. We understand that the last thing you want right now is a legal battle. However, it is your right to hold a negligent facility responsible for its actions and to try and ensure nothing like this happens again. Call us today at (715) 343-2850 to discuss your rights and legal options during an initial consultation.