Springfield MA Emergency Room Error Attorney

Why Choose Us Over Other Emergency Room Error Attorneys in Western Massachusetts?

At Better Call Al, we bring decades of experience, local insight, and serious legal firepower to every emergency room error case. Here’s why so many clients have come to trust Al Goodman:

• Over 30 years of experience in medical malpractice litigation
• Recognized by Super Lawyers based on peer reviews and independent research
• AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell
• Millions recovered in verdicts and settlements
• In-depth knowledge of Springfield-area hospitals and healthcare providers
• We work with top medical experts to build strong, evidence-backed cases
• You get personal attention and consistent communication
• Free consultations and no fees unless we win

Was Your Condition Missed or Misdiagnosed in the ER?

You may have a case. Better Call Al to learn more today: (413) 736-1616

Why You Should See a Springfield Medical Malpractice Lawyer Right Away

Emergency room error cases are complex and time-sensitive. Hospitals often begin building their defense immediately after an incident occurs, and key evidence such as medical records, lab results, and witness statements can disappear or be altered over time.

Speaking with a Springfield, MA medical malpractice attorney early gives you the best chance to preserve important evidence and build a strong claim. We can help determine what went wrong, whether the ER staff violated protocols, and how those failures impacted your health.

Do You Have a Legitimate Case?

You may have a legitimate case if:

• The emergency room staff failed to follow accepted medical standards
• You were misdiagnosed or received delayed or improper care
• The mistake caused your condition to worsen or led to a new, preventable injury

Al Goodman thoroughly investigates what happened and consults with independent medical experts to determine whether the care provided fell below the legal standard.

What’s the Legal Process for an Emergency Room Error Claim?

Medical malpractice claims in Massachusetts follow a detailed legal process. At Better Call Al, we handle everything from start to finish so you can focus on healing:

1. Initial Consultation: We review your situation, medical history, and potential signs of negligence.
2. Medical Record Review: Our team secures and analyzes relevant records to understand what happened.
3. Expert Opinion: A qualified medical expert must certify that the case has legal merit.
4. Filing the Lawsuit: We formally initiate your claim by filing a complaint with the court.
5. Discovery Phase: Both sides exchange documents, take depositions, and build their arguments.
6. Negotiation or Trial: Many cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case for court to ensure maximum leverage.

Types of Compensation Available

We work with financial and medical experts to determine the full impact of the negligence on your life. A successful emergency room error claim can help you recover financial compensation for:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Long-term care needs or rehabilitation
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Wrongful death damages if applicable

Don’t Let a Hospital Cover Up Their Mistake

Call Better Call Al and protect your rights today: (413) 736-1616

Types of Emergency Room Errors

There is no excuse when medical professional make preventable mistakes in the emergency room.

Delayed Treatment

Patients may wait too long to be evaluated or treated, especially when symptoms are not recognized as serious. Delay can worsen outcomes significantly.

Failure to Follow Hospital Protocols

Hospitals and ERs have policies for triage, patient monitoring, and safety protocols. When staff ignore these rules, patients suffer.

Failure to Meet the Standard of Care

Medical providers are held to professional standards. Deviations, such as poor communication or incomplete evaluations, can constitute malpractice.

Inadequate Patient Monitoring

Failing to monitor vital signs, neurological changes, or changes in condition can result in missed warnings of serious complications.

Medication Errors

Administering the wrong drug or dosage, failing to check allergies, or drug interactions can lead to life-threatening reactions.

Inaccurate Lab Results

Inaccurate or improperly processed laboratory work can result in incorrect diagnoses or overlooked conditions.

Failure to Notice a Bloodwork Marker

Doctors may overlook elevated or abnormal values that point to critical conditions, such as infection or internal bleeding.

Failure to Order Lab Tests

Failing to conduct basic diagnostic tests, such as blood panels, urinalysis, or cultures, can delay critical diagnoses.

Failure to Order X-rays or Radiological Exams

Missing fractures, internal injuries, or tumors because imaging tests weren’t ordered is a serious form of negligence.

Misinterpreting Test Results

Errors in reading X-rays, CT scans, or lab work can lead to misdiagnosis or improper treatment.

Failure to Reduce Risk of Infection

Lapses in sterilization or post-surgical care can expose patients to dangerous infections, including sepsis.

Misdiagnosis

Mistaking one condition for another, such as confusing a heart attack for indigestion, can lead to fatal outcomes.

Failure to Diagnose a Condition

Sometimes, no diagnosis is made at all despite clear symptoms, delaying critical treatment.

Miscommunication

Poor communication among ER staff, or between staff and patients, can result in lost information and medical mistakes.

Improper Discharge

Releasing a patient too soon, or without proper evaluation, can result in readmission or deterioration.

Lack of a Follow-Up Plan

Failing to advise a patient to return for further care or testing can allow serious conditions to worsen.

Failure to Refer Patient to a Specialty Doctor

When ER staff fail to refer a patient to a specialist, such as a cardiologist or neurologist, critical care may be delayed.

Failure to Request a Specialty Consult

In complex or unclear cases, the absence of specialist input can lead to diagnostic and treatment errors.

Failure to Identify a Drug Interaction

Prescribing or administering medications without checking for harmful interactions can lead to serious and preventable adverse effects.

Failure to Obtain a Patient’s Blood Type

Administering a transfusion without confirming a patient’s blood type can result in life-threatening reactions.

Failure to Consider a Patient’s Medical History

Overlooking a patient’s full medical history can cause misdiagnoses or inappropriate treatment choices.

Failure to Recognize Fertility Results

Ignoring or misinterpreting fertility indicators can lead to missed diagnoses of pregnancy, increasing the risk of harm to both patient and fetus.

Physician Assistant Error

Mistakes made by physician assistants in diagnosis, treatment, or medication administration can lead to serious patient harm if not promptly recognized and corrected.

Inadequate Supervision of CRNAs

Failing to properly oversee Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists during emergency procedures can result in anesthesia complications and preventable patient injuries.

The Consequences of Emergency Room Errors

Emergency room errors often lead to devastating outcomes.

Stroke

Time is critical in stroke care. Delayed diagnosis can lead to permanent brain damage, paralysis, or death.

Brainstem Stroke

Missing signs of a brainstem stroke in the ER can result in rapid deterioration, locked-in syndrome, or death.

Subdural Hemorrhage

Failure to diagnose or promptly treat bleeding between the brain and skull can lead to permanent brain damage or death.

Mesenteric Ischemia

Delayed recognition of restricted blood flow to the intestines can result in tissue death and life-threatening complications.

Bowel Obstruction

Misdiagnosing or overlooking an intestinal blockage can cause severe infection, perforation, or death.

Unstable Fracture

Failure to identify and stabilize a serious fracture can lead to nerve damage, internal bleeding, or long-term disability.

Embolism or Pulmonary Embolism

Failure to recognize a blood clot in the lungs can result in sudden death if not treated immediately.

Venous or Arterial Thromboembolism

Clots in veins or arteries can cause limb loss, organ failure, or stroke if not quickly identified.

Aortic Aneurysm

An undetected aneurysm can rupture, causing fatal internal bleeding. Symptoms often mimic other conditions.

Brain Aneurysm or Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

These neurological emergencies are often mistaken for migraines or minor headaches, delaying life-saving care.

Heart Attack, Myocardial Infarction, or Cardiac Arrest

Chest pain misdiagnosed as heartburn or anxiety can result in fatal heart events.

Temporal Arteritis or Acute Vascular Occlusion

Missing vascular inflammation can lead to vision loss or stroke.

Appendicitis Complications

Untreated appendicitis can rupture, causing life-threatening infections or organ damage.

Flesh-Eating Bacterial Infection (Necrotizing Fasciitis)

Delays in recognizing this aggressive infection can result in amputation or death.

Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a neurological emergency that requires immediate surgery. Delay can cause permanent paralysis or incontinence.

Spinal Cyst or Abscess

These can compress the spinal cord and lead to permanent disability if not diagnosed promptly.

Spinal Cord Compression

This condition requires immediate attention to prevent irreversible loss of function.

Displaced Rib Fracture and Internal Bleeding

Misdiagnosed trauma can result in undetected bleeding and shock.

Kidney Stones

While often benign, large stones or obstructive conditions can become life-threatening if untreated.

Sepsis, Septicemia, Coma, and Death

Failure to identify early signs of infection can escalate quickly to systemic failure and death.

Gastrointestinal Perforation and Rupture

This can lead to widespread infection and rapid decline without emergency surgery.

Intestinal Obstruction or Blockage

Misdiagnosed as indigestion, it can result in tissue death and sepsis.

Bacterial Meningitis

Delays in treatment can result in brain damage, hearing loss, or death.

Testicular Torsion

This condition requires surgery within hours. Delay can result in the loss of the testicle and long-term reproductive issues.

Wrongful Death

Emergency room errors can lead to wrongful death when critical conditions are misdiagnosed, delayed, or improperly treated during urgent care. A single mistake such as failing to monitor vital signs or administer the correct medication can result in fatal consequences that could have been prevented with proper medical attention.

What Is the Statute of Limitations in Massachusetts?

In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is generally three years from the date the patient knew or should have known that malpractice occurred.

However, there is also a seven-year statute of repose, which bars claims filed more than seven years after the negligent act, regardless of when the harm was discovered. Exceptions may apply for cases involving minors or concealment of the error.

What Clients Are Saying About Us

He listens and cares about his clients - Kiley Perrone

Having Al working on my case has been an absolute pleasure! He is always willing to educate, advise, and clarify the process, and is available via text or email through all hours of the day. His hard work earned me a settlement big enough to buy my first home! And he listens and cares about his clients. I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Al while going through a very stressful and painful time. If you're ever injured, better call Al!

Very responsive, professional, knowledgeable and on top of everything - Natasha Rodriguez

I absolutely never leave reviews, but attorney Goodman has truly super exceeded my expectations throughout the whole entire process. Unfortunately, I was involved in a motor vehicle accident where I was rear ended. Attorney Goodman came through as a referral from my friend who said he was amazing and she definitely wasn’t lying. Attorney Goodman fought with the insurance companies when they tried to deny me and/or give me less for my lost wages, he continued to fight for the settlement that I received that exceeded my expectations. He was very responsive, professional, knowledgeable and on top of everything. Definitely the type of attorney that you want by your side. Thank you attorney Goodman I’ll be forever grateful!”

Case Results

ER Failed to Diagnose Internal Bleeding After Crash – $1,500,000 Settlement

A 66-year-old woman was seriously injured as a passenger in an intersection collision and transported to the emergency room early on a Sunday morning in August. She arrived at 10:45 a.m. with signs of blunt abdominal trauma and was admitted for observation due to rib fractures. Despite clear indicators of potential internal injury, no “FAST” bedside ultrasound was performed at any point during her admission.

As the afternoon progressed, her condition worsened – her blood pressure and respiratory rate dropped significantly. Only then was imaging ordered, which revealed free fluid in the abdomen. Emergency surgery was initiated, uncovering internal bleeding that had gone undetected for hours. Tragically, by 4:00 p.m., it was too late to save her life.

Following her death, an administrator was appointed to represent her estate, and a medical malpractice claim was brought against the hospital. After extensive discovery, the case was resolved with a $1,500,000 settlement on behalf of her family.

Failure to Diagnose Stroke – Recovery: $1,200,000

A man presented to the emergency room with symptoms including facial weakness on one side, slurred speech, headaches, and trouble speaking and recalling words. Despite these classic warning signs, the ER physician failed to diagnose a stroke or administer appropriate testing or treatment, dismissing the concern due to the patient’s age. By the following day, his condition had worsened, and a second hospital confirmed the stroke diagnosis. As a result, he suffered permanent weakness and was unable to return to work.

Legal action was initiated after a six-month delay, and following key depositions, the case was submitted to non-binding mediation at the insurer’s request. The matter resolved in a $1.2 million structured settlement designed to protect the client’s long-term needs.

Speak With an Experienced Emergency Room Error Attorney in Western Massachusetts

If you or someone you love suffered due to negligence in a Springfield emergency room, you deserve answers. Our legal team has the resources and determination to investigate your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Call a Springfield emergency room error lawyer at (413) 736-1616 today for a free consultation.

Let us help you hold healthcare providers accountable and protect your future.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies as an emergency room error?

Emergency room errors include misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, improper discharge, failure to order necessary tests, medication mistakes, and other failures to meet the standard of care expected in emergency medical settings.

Do I have a case if I was misdiagnosed in the ER?

You might. If a reasonable and competent ER provider would have correctly diagnosed your condition, and that failure caused you harm, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

How do I know if the ER was negligent?

Negligence occurs when emergency room staff fail to follow standard medical protocols. An experienced Springfield emergency room error attorney and medical expert can help determine if the care you received fell below that standard.

What are common types of emergency room errors?

Common errors include delayed diagnosis, medication mistakes, missed test results, failure to order imaging, premature discharge, poor monitoring, and failure to recognize life-threatening symptoms like stroke or heart attack.

How long do I have to file a claim for an ER error in Massachusetts?

Generally, you have three years from when the negligence was discovered, or when it should have been discovered. However, some exceptions apply. It's best to consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

What if the hospital says I signed a waiver or consent form?

Signing a consent form does not give the hospital or doctors permission to be negligent. If they failed to follow proper procedures or mismanaged your care, you may still have a claim.

Can I file a claim if a loved one died after an ER error?

Yes. If the emergency room error caused or contributed to a loved one’s death, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim on their behalf.

What types of compensation can I receive?

You may be eligible for compensation covering medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages or wrongful death benefits.

Meet Our Springfield MA ER Error Attorney

Al Goodman

Al Goodman is a veteran trial attorney and the founder of Better Call Al, a law practice dedicated to representing individuals and families harmed by medical negligence, misdiagnosis, and emergency room errors. His legal career has been defined by one core principle: when the medical system fails people, he steps in to hold it accountable.

Al has successfully represented clients in high-stakes cases involving failure to diagnose cancer, emergency room mistakes, surgical negligence, and delayed treatment, recovering millions in verdicts and settlements along the way. Clients appreciate Al’s deep knowledge of complex medical issues, strategic approach to litigation, and unwavering commitment to personalized service.

Additional Information

• Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle
• When Are Hospitals Liable for Medical Malpractice in Massachusetts?