Patients may have grounds to sue a hospital if doctors, nurses or other medical staff members are negligent or commit an error during treatment. Some patients don’t realize that the hospital itself may hold a level of responsibility in addition to the physician who made the mistake.

When dealing with cases of malpractice, medical issues in Ohio may confuse some patients. A medical malpractice lawyer in Ohio can help determine liability and pursue the case.

When a Hospital Can Hold Liability 

A hospital is legally responsible for the action of its employees. If a doctor, nurse or other employee on staff injures or harms a patient, the hospital may be considered liable in a malpractice suit, which a medical malpractice lawyer in Ohio can help patients pursue.

But the medical professional who made the mistake or was negligent must be an actual employee at the facility – not an independent contractor – in order for the hospital to be held responsible.

In some cases, doctors are employed on a contractual basis, and may be deemed separate from the facility or hospital. If the doctor is not an employee, the victim can still sue him or her for malpractice but perhaps not a medical facility in Ohio.

However, if the patient was not educated regarding the doctor’s status, which is often the case in an emergency situation, and the physician commits negligence or error, the hospital could be held responsible for the physician’s negligence. A hospital may also be liable for knowingly allowing an incompetent or unqualified doctor to work in the hospital, and that doctor causes injury to a patient.

Getting Help from a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Ohio 

Victims of emergency room malpractice or general malpractice in a medical facility in Ohio should call 440-333-3800 or 216-241-1901 to speak a medical malpractice lawyer in Ohio at Mellino Robenalt LLC. An attorney can go over requirements to sue a hospital and whether the patient may have a valid case.