EMERGENCY ROOM DELAY

Emergency room delays seem to be growing in Ontario, particularly in busy urban centers such as Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, North York, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener and Ottawa

The reason for a delay in the emergency department at a hospital could be due to understaffing of nurses, doctors, or other systemic problems. Emergency room delays can also happen when a patient is not properly triaged and is not seen by a healthcare professional in a timely manner.

Once a patient is in the emergency room, delays in performing, interpreting or communicating the results of investigations such as blood work, x-rays, CAT scans or MRIs can lead to harmful outcomes for patients. 

Some of the most harmful outcomes to patients for delayed treatment in the emergency room include but are not limited to: heart attack, stroke, aneurism, obstructed bowel, and sepsis.

Canadians are accustomed to waiting in the emergency room, to some degree. However, unacceptable delays and inordinate wait times should never be tolerated particularly when they cause serious disability or even death.

If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have suffered a poor medical outcome because of delayed treatment in the emergency room you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer with experience in emergency room delays who can give you advice on whether your emergency room delay may give rise to legal liability against a physician, nurse or hospital.

Toronto medical malpractice lawyer Paul Cahill is experienced at litigating emergency room delay lawsuits having recently won a medical malpractice trial against a negligent emergency room physician who caused the death of a 34 year-old mother of 4. For more about this successful trial outcome, please read here.

E-mail Paul Cahill today to request a free consultation on whether you may have a lawsuit for a emergency room delay.