Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Blog | Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP

A physician witness testified that doctors treating a teen in the emergency room following an auto accident were negligent in releasing him after only two hours. The doctor said, "Two hours is not anywhere close enough" to the necessary period of observation.

In October 2003, the 16-year old boy was taken to the emergency room following his car accident. The teen had complained of chest pain and had seat-belt abrasions across his chest, but he didn't report abdominal pain and his test results seemed normal, so he was released after two hours. The next morning, he was found on his knees slumped over the bed, and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The cause of death was determined to be a lacerated liver.

The boy's family filed a medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit against the two doctors that treated the boy and their hospital. In defense, the doctors' lawyer claims that the liver injury constituted a "hidden injury" that was not evident until after he returned home.

Emergency room errors are common because the doctors and nurses in the ER work long shifts without breaks and are often young practitioners without the seniority to avoid the duty. If you have lost a loved one as a result of an ER error following an auto accident, contact a medical malpractice or auto accident lawyer at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today for a free initial consultation.