Sterling Heights Hospital Malpractice Lawyers

A hospital stay is likely to evoke significant distress and anxiety, no matter the reason. Patients entrust their well-being entirely to the hospital and its staff, relying on a multitude of services such as nursing care, medication management, surgery, radiology, anesthesia, and laboratory tests. Medical professionals have a duty to deliver an adequate level of care and attention to patients. When hospitals or health care professionals are negligent, patients may suffer avoidable injuries, illnesses, or even death.

Under Michigan law, all medical facilities must provide patients with a certain level of health care services. A hospital’s failure to comply with accepted standards of care frequently forms the grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Unfortunately, far too often patients do not get the proper care they deserve.

From 2022 to 2023, Michigan had 2,993 adverse action reports among 28,662 health care practitioners in the National Practitioner Data Bank. In 2024, a Sterling Heights doctor was found to have practiced medicine and treated patients even after his license was suspended. He allegedly misdiagnosed young patients, performed unnecessary surgery, and administered treatments that did not meet the accepted standard of care. Patients who suffer harm due to the negligence of a hospital or medical professional have the right to pursue compensation.

Types of Hospital Malpractice

Sterling Heights is home to hospitals like Henry Ford Medical Center and Beaumont Medical Park. The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization, grades hospitals nationwide based on how safe they are for patients. The data reflects preventable medical mistakes, injuries, and infections. Out of the 81 hospitals graded in Michigan in 2024, the majority earned a C. In addition to those 28 facilities, 25 hospitals received an A, while 23 earned a B, and five got a D grade.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a sharp rise in common hospital infections since 2020. The agency also noted an increase in surgical complications, medication mistakes, and medical errors overall. Here are some examples of negligence that may take place at Sterling Heights hospitals:

• Surgical mistakes
• Inadequate staffing levels leading to substandard care
• Errors in prescriptions and medication dosages
• Extending staff privileges to unqualified doctors
• Failure to promptly address critical needs
• Not monitoring patients properly
• Delayed or improperly performed diagnostic tests
• Issues with sanitation and cleanliness

Below, we dive deeper into some of the more common types of medical errors that may occur at
hospitals.

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis: When a health care provider fails to accurately diagnose a patient’s condition in a timely manner, it can lead to delayed treatment or the administration of incorrect treatment, causing the patient’s condition to worsen unnecessarily.
• Surgical errors: Surgical procedures carry inherent risks. When errors such as wrong-site surgery, incorrect incisions, or leaving surgical instruments inside the patient occur due to negligence, patients can suffer severe complications, infections, or permanent injuries.
• Medication mistakes: Errors in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications can have serious consequences, including adverse drug reactions, overdose, or allergic reactions. These mistakes may result from miscommunication, inadequate supervision, or failure to review a patient’s medical history for potential drug interactions.
• Failure to monitor patients: Monitoring patients’ vital signs and conditions is crucial for identifying complications. Neglecting to monitor patients adequately can result in preventable medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, or sepsis.
• Inadequate staffing and supervision: Hospitals must maintain appropriate staffing levels to ensure patients receive the required care and attention. When facilities are understaffed or staff members are poorly trained or unsupervised, patients may experience neglect, delayed response to emergencies, or substandard care.
• Infection control breaches: Hospitals are expected to adhere to strict protocols for preventing healthcare-associated infections. Failure to maintain proper sanitation, hygiene practices, and infection control measures can lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases among patients and health care workers.

These are just a few examples of the types of hospital malpractice that can occur in Sterling Heights hospitals. Victims of such medical errors may suffer physical and emotional harm, incur additional medical expenses, and experience a diminished quality of life as a result. With legal assistance from experienced hospital malpractice attorneys, patients can hold negligent health care providers accountable for their actions.

Filing a Hospital Malpractice Claim

Patients who believe they have been victims of hospital malpractice in Sterling Heights may seek legal recourse to obtain compensation for their injuries. Proving hospital malpractice requires showing that the health care provider or facility behaved negligently and breached the expected standard of care. This breach directly led to the patient’s injury or harm.

Because of the complexities involved with filing malpractice claims that involve large hospitals, working with an experienced attorney is crucial. The lawyer can review the details of your case, gather evidence, and determine the best course of action.

One of the first steps involves identifying who is liable. Along with an individual health care professional, the hospital may also shoulder the blame for your injuries. For example, the medical facility may have failed to properly maintain equipment or lacked adequate supervision of staff.

Patients who prevail in hospital malpractice claims may be entitled to various types of compensation, including economic damages and non-economic damages. For example, you may receive damages for your loss of income during your recovery period, or lost future earning capacity due to a permanent disability that resulted from a hospital’s negligence. Common types of damages include:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical costs
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life

The amount of compensation awarded in malpractice cases depends on factors such as the severity of the harm suffered and the impact on the patient’s life. While determining exact numbers is not possible, Sommers Schwartz can provide you with a realistic estimate of the damages you can expect in your hospital malpractice case.

Liability for Hospital Errors

Hospitals or health care facilities may be identified as defendants in hospital malpractice cases. Additionally, individual health care providers, such as doctors, nurses, or technicians, may also be named.

Hospitals can be held vicariously liable for the negligent actions of their employees, and they may also be directly liable for issues such as inadequate staffing, faulty equipment, or systemic failures in patient care protocols. An experienced Sterling Heights hospital malpractice attorney can help you determine which parties are liable for your injuries.

Statute of Limitations

Patients who believe they have been victims of hospital malpractice in Sterling Heights must be aware of the statute of limitations for filing a claim to pursue compensation. Michigan law typically allows two years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit after the injury is discovered, or when it reasonably should have been discovered. There may be some exceptions to this timeframe.

Discuss your situation with a knowledgeable hospital malpractice lawyer to ensure your rights are protected, and your lawsuit is filed within the applicable time frame. Sommers Schwartz can help ensure you do not miss any deadlines in the pursuit of compensation for your injuries.

How Can a Hospital Malpractice Attorney Help?

Facing a medical malpractice lawsuit can severely damage a hospital’s reputation. Naturally, they fight these claims aggressively, deploying significant resources to defend themselves. Taking on a large hospital system and its legal team requires a law firm with deep knowledge of relevant laws, extensive experience, and ample resources.

The outcome of your hospital malpractice claim can significantly impact your ability to secure future medical care and financial stability. At Sommers Schwartz, we understand the gravity of your situation. That is why we meticulously evaluate every case before accepting it.

Highly qualified medical professionals review the medical records to ensure a strong foundation for your claim. Proving hospital malpractice often requires expert medical testimony to establish the standard of care applicable to the specific situation and how deviation from that standard caused harm to the patient.

If a Sommers Schwartz attorney agrees to represent you, you can be confident in our ability to navigate every stage of your hospital malpractice claim, from the initial investigation to a successful settlement or trial verdict. Seeking guidance from experienced legal professionals increases your chances of receiving fair compensation for the harm you suffered. Additionally, our reputation means that we can stand toe-to-toe with even the most powerful hospital entities.

Contact a Sommers Schwartz hospital malpractice lawyer today for a confidential consultation. Let us discuss your case and explore how we can help you achieve the best possible outcome.

Contact Sommers Schwartz

If you or a loved one has been injured due to hospital malpractice in Sterling Heights, it is advisable to seek legal advice promptly to understand your rights and options for pursuing a claim. At Sommers Schwartz, we understand the challenges you face and want to help you hold the negligent parties responsible for your injuries accountable for their actions.

Our team is recognized as among the most skilled and experienced medical malpractice lawyers in the country. We are ready to help you recover the compensation you and your family deserve. Call 800-783-0989 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with Sommers Schwartz.