Yes. Hospitals can be liable for negligence by their medical staff. If a nurse gives the wrong medication or a physician overlooks critical warning signs, those aren’t just mistakes, so you have the right to hold the hospital legally responsible for the negligent staff’s actions. That means you may recover damages for injuries a hospital’s employee caused.
Our Harrisburg medical malpractice lawyers at Marzella & Associates have represented many individuals who have been injured due to a staff member’s negligence. They can help prove the link between your injuries and the staff’s negligence, secure evidence, and fight for maximum compensation.
How Hospitals Can be Liable for their Medical Staff’s Negligence
Hospitals are institutions built on teams, including nurses, doctors, and technicians, all working under hospital policies and oversight. Legally, when an employee falls short of accepted medical care standards while performing those duties, the hospital can face liability. Courts usually examine whether the individual was an employee rather than a contractor, whether the negligence occurred during patient care, and whether that breach directly caused harm.
For instance, if a nurse employed by the facility neglects to monitor your condition after an operation and you contract an infection, the hospital can be held responsible for both staffing and oversight failures. According to the CDC, about one in 31 hospitalized patients develops a healthcare-associated infection, many of which are preventable.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor: When Hospitals Are Still Liable
Likewise, hospitals may try to avoid liability by claiming the provider who made the mistake was an independent contractor. However, courts consider factors such as the hospital’s control over the provider’s work and whether patients reasonably believe the provider is affiliated with the hospital. If the hospital directs procedures, provides infrastructure, or the provider works exclusively for that hospital, labels like contractor may not hold up.
This matters because it changes who you can sue. The hospital may be responsible if a radiologist misreads your X-ray results and is clearly a hospital employee. On the other hand, your claim may target the doctor directly if they were a contractor. A Harrisburg medical malpractice attorney can determine how these complex laws may apply to your specific case.
Proving The Hospital’s Responsibility Can be a Challenge
You may recover for medical bills, future treatment costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and life changes when negligence causes injury. If you face permanent disability, those changes are permanent costs. Unfortunately, hospitals won’t automatically admit fault. To build a strong case, you need detailed records, including nursing logs, shift schedules, hospital policy documents, and expert testimony.
These core pieces are typically decisive. A Harrisburg medical malpractice lawyer can help you collect and interpret them correctly.
What Our Lawyers Can Do for Your Case
Fighting a hospital’s legal machinery requires someone who understands both medicine and medical malpractice law. An experienced Harrisburg medical malpractice attorney knows how to:
- Pinpoint where an employee deviated from accepted medical practice
- Retain credible medical experts to explain the impact of that deviation
- Challenge arguments that the hospital was not responsible
- Negotiate with insurance providers or bring your case to court if needed
Seek Legal Guidance from Our Harrisburg Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Hospitals are responsible for protecting patients and not harming them. If you or a loved one suffered harm because of negligent care in a hospital, you have legal options. Learn more about your case by scheduling your free case review with our Harrisburg medical malpractice lawyers at Marzella & Associates. Contact us online or call 717-876-8681.