If your loved one passes away in a hospital, it’s no doubt a very difficult time for your family. You may not really understand what happened, why it happened or how it could have been prevented. It’s very important to dig into this so that you know where you stand and what options you have.
After all, studies have found that most Americans (60%) pass away in hospitals. That’s compared to just 20% of people who pass away at home and another 20% who do so at a nursing home. Most of them at least make it to a medical care center before dying, which means that doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are involved in the case.
What you want to ask yourself is if the staff had anything to do with the passing. Could they have prevented it? Did they make mistakes that caused it? Even if they didn’t actively cause it, did they simply neglect to give your loved one the care they expected, deserved and needed?
Hospital deaths happen for all manner of reasons. Patients get the wrong medications. Surgeons make mistakes. Staff members forget to check on patients who need it. No one responds to an emergency call. Mix-ups in paperwork lead to improper treatment. The list goes on and on.
If any of these things happened in your case, you may then have a right to seek financial compensation. It can help cover all sorts of costs, from medical bills to lost wages to funeral costs. Though this is a trying time for your family, make sure you consider the case carefully.