Suffering costly damages due to someone else’s recklessness, negligence or outright malpractice can be devastating in and of itself. The last thing you want to do is go through a lengthy and complicated legal process on top of that. However, understanding your rights and the legal procedures surrounding nursing malpractice in Idaho can help you navigate through any potential claims with confidence.
Understanding nursing malpractice
Nursing malpractice refers to any act or omission by a nurse that falls below the standard of care expected in their profession, resulting in harm to the patient. This can include errors in medication administration, failure to properly monitor a patient’s vital signs or incorrect treatment procedures.
Proving nursing malpractice in Idaho
In order to prove nursing malpractice in the state of Idaho, there are four elements you must establish.
- The nurse had a duty to care for the patient in question.
- The nurse failed to provide the appropriate standard of care.
- The nurse’s actions, or lack thereof, directly caused harm to the patient.
- As a result of the nurse’s actions, the patient suffered damages, whether physical, emotional or financial.
Additionally, as per Idaho’s statute of limitations, you must file your medical malpractice claim within two years from the date of the incident. If you take too long, the nurse’s lawyer may ask the court to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that it is difficult or impossible to obtain accurate evidence after a certain amount of time has passed.
Your rights as a patient
As a patient, you have the right to receive competent and safe medical care. If any person in the healthcare team, including a nurse, violates this right and causes harm to you, you have the right to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to the financial losses you have suffered as a result of the incident, such as medical bills or loss of income. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, include emotional distress and pain and suffering.
Mistakes in the healthcare industry are a matter of life and death. As a patient, it is your right to receive safe and competent care from healthcare professionals, including nurses. If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to nursing malpractice in Idaho, it is important to understand your rights to navigate the legal process effectively for fair compensation.