Triage is an important step in emergency care. It helps medical staff decide who needs urgent treatment and who can safely wait for doctor availability.
When triage decisions go wrong, however, patients can suffer serious harm or even die. You may have a valid wrongful death claim if a triage mistake leads to the preventable death of a loved one.
Common signs of triage mistakes
Long delays can be a key sign of a triage error. If there are clear signs of a medical emergency, an excessive wait is obviously a mistake. For example, if someone shows symptoms of a stroke or heart attack but does not receive quick care, the delay could result in death.
Another sign is when medical staff place patients in the wrong treatment area or fail to monitor them closely. A person in distress should never remain in the waiting room or a hallway without medical supervision. If the patient became unresponsive or suffered a fatal event while waiting, it may show that the medical staff failed to act appropriately.
How to prove that a triage mistake occurred
The California Department of Public Health sets forth a standard of care that hospitals must follow. This includes established protocols for triage. If staff ignore clear warning signs or fail to follow protocol, they may have breached that standard. You can request records from the emergency room, such as intake notes, nurse assessments and monitor logs, which can help determine what actions took place.
To support a wrongful death claim in California, you must show that a medical mistake directly caused or contributed to the person’s death. That means proving the patient would have likely survived if treated properly and without delay. Medical records and expert evaluations often help with this.
Keep in mind that only certain individuals can bring a wrongful death claim under California law. This usually includes a spouse, domestic partner, child or sometimes another dependent family member. The claim can seek damages for the loss of financial support, funeral costs and emotional suffering.
