When you visit an emergency room, you expect to receive prompt, appropriate, and effective treatment. However, there are instances when the care provided falls short of the accepted standard, resulting in harm to the patient. When a healthcare provider’s actions or inactions in the emergency room setting deviate from the standard of care and cause injury, it may constitute negligence. An Illinois lawyer can help you determine what negligence in emergency room treatment looks like and what you can do if you experience it.
The Standard of Care in Illinois Emergency Rooms
In Illinois, healthcare providers in emergency rooms are held to a specific standard of care. This standard requires them to possess and apply the knowledge, skill, and care that a reasonably well-qualified emergency room physician or staff member would use under similar circumstances. When a provider fails to meet this standard, and a patient suffers harm as a result, it may be considered negligence.