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Regan Zambri Long’s Washington, DC medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by emergency room negligence when rushed decisions, missed diagnoses, or breakdowns in care cause injury. ERs move fast, and when protocols are overlooked or warning signs are missed, the consequences can follow a patient for life.
Our award-winning medical malpractice team brings nearly 200 years of combined experience to malpractice cases that require immediate investigation and decisive legal action. All six partners are recognized as medical malpractice specialists, and our founding partners hold board certifications from the National Board of Trial Advocacy and AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell. With a record of more than $1 billion in personal injury recoveries, including multiple million-dollar medical malpractice outcomes, we have the resources and skills needed to take on large institutions and insurers. We work closely with leading medical specialists to evaluate ER decisions, identify departures from accepted standards, and present clear, credible evidence to ensure accountability.
Has you or a loved one been harmed by emergency room negligence? Contact Regan Zambri Long today, and one of our attorneys will personally reach out to you. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there’s no fee unless we win your case.
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The Regan Zambri Long medical malpractice attorneys are nationally recognized and highly respected in personal injury law.
That national recognition is matched by deep, practice-specific leadership in medical malpractice law:
Over the past 30 years, our attorneys have secured millions of dollars for our clients, and we are committed to achieving the same results for you. In one notable case, we obtained a $15 million medical malpractice settlement against a health maintenance organization. The organization failed to perform a pregnancy test on a patient before heart surgery, resulting in a stroke during the procedure that left her severely disabled. The $15 million settlement will help cover our client’s medical expenses and compensate for her lost earning capacity.
We also achieved an $8 million settlement for a woman who suffered quadriplegia as a result of a surgical and an anesthetic error, as well as a $3.5 million settlement on behalf of the family of a Maryland man who died as a result of negligent and careless conduct by doctors and hospitals.
Together, these results show the depth of our medical malpractice experience and our ability to handle cases involving serious diagnostic failures, surgical errors, and breakdowns in hospital care.
Most emergency rooms are busy, hectic places. Patients of any age, with virtually any type of illness or injury can come in, from an adult car accident victim to a child who is complaining of stomach pain.
In addition to the inherent chaos in an ER, some staff may be overworked or not have the proper emergency medicine training. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 155 million visits to emergency departments across the United States each year. The percentage of visits that resulted in a patient being seen by a medical professional for less than 15 minutes is 43.5%. A 2025 RAND Corporation report states that many challenges facing emergency medicine are expanding in scale, including long emergency department wait times and the practice of boarding patients in emergency department beds. With medical professionals spending so little time with patients, it is not surprising that medical errors can occur.
Some examples of emergency room negligence include:
A failure to diagnose may occur when patients who complain of an injury or have symptoms of an underlying illness are told that “nothing is wrong” with them. They are sent home to rest or advised to follow up with their regular doctor if their symptoms persist, but many choose not to do so. As a result, life-saving treatment may be delayed or even completely overlooked.
A 2022 government report found that more than 7 million incorrect diagnoses are made in U.S. emergency rooms each year, highlighting how often critical conditions are initially missed in fast-paced ER settings.
A serious medical condition is not diagnosed because a medical test isn’t ordered, or the results aren’t available before the patient is discharged. The proper diagnosis is only given at a later appointment. If the delay resulted in a worsened condition that could have been avoided, you may have cause for legal action. In emergency settings, delayed diagnosis of time-sensitive spinal conditions such as cauda equina syndrome can lead to permanent nerve damage, loss of bladder or bowel control, chronic pain, or paralysis. Because early surgical intervention is often critical, even a short delay can significantly affect a patient’s long-term outcome.
A patient’s vitals aren’t monitored closely enough or even not at all. Or, a nurse may fail to act on an abnormal pulse, blood pressure, or oxygen saturation reading. For example, if a patient is known to be a “fall risk” and is not carefully monitored and suffers a serious slip and fall when trying to go to the bathroom, the emergency room may be liable.
Several types of medication mistakes can occur in the ER. When a complete patient history isn’t recorded, drug-drug, drug-condition, and drug-food interactions can happen. A patient may also be given the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or a drug to which they are allergic.
A meta-analysis of emergency department studies found that medication errors occur in 22.6% of ER cases, showing how common these mistakes are when patients are treated under urgent conditions.
Several surgical errors can occur during an emergency operation. The surgical site may be inadequately cleaned, an instrument or bandage may be left inside the body, healthy tissue may be accidentally nicked, or even the wrong procedure may be performed.
A patient may be moved to a medical/surgical wing when needed in the ICU. Or, they may even be sent directly home before they are well. A hasty discharge can cause a condition or illness to worsen. Almost 20% of Medicare discharged patients will be readmitted within 30 days. This is a serious issue for people who live alone and may not have anyone to assist them if they fall, have a seizure, lose consciousness, or experience another type of medical event.
Many of these types of errors will lead to serious or lifelong complications for the patient, and can even result in death.
In short, you can file a claim for damages for emergency room errors. However, the process and details of filing a claim can be tricky.
Emergency room error claims aim to recover damages for your losses. Damages come in the form of monetary compensation to the harmed individual. In an emergency room negligence case, there are three types of damages you may pursue:
Washington DC’s statute of limitations for filing a claim against an ER healthcare provider is three years from the date of the injury, according to §12–301 of the DC Code. However, DC imposes other regulations regarding these claims. For example, once a medical malpractice claim is filed, both parties must enter into mediation within 30 days. There is no cap on non-economic damages in the District of Columbia.
If you suspect your injuries resulted from emergency room negligence, contact our DC med mal attorneys today to learn your legal options. We offer free consultations and no fee unless your case is successful.
Who can be liable for an emergency room error can depend on the situation and local laws. Several parties that may be held responsible include:
Talk to the DC medical negligence lawyers at Regan Zambri Long to discuss your emergency room negligence claim today.
In emergency room malpractice cases, the burden of proof lies with the injured emergency patient. That means it’s up to you and your emergency room malpractice attorney to prove the level of care you received in the ER fell below the standard of care and that the medical treatment by the health care providers was the direct cause of your illness or injuries.
How do you do this? Neglect is the key to a medical malpractice claim and any other personal injury claim. Negligence is the failure to take proper care in doing something. Proving a successful malpractice case requires your emergency room negligence attorney to establish these specific legal elements:
A qualified attorney can act as your legal advocate and guide during this process. While you focus on your recovery, your lawyer will handle the investigation. At Regan Zambri Long, our expert medical malpractice attorneys work around the clock, building compelling cases where we establish a clear connection between the healthcare provider’s negligence and our patients’ injuries. Our legal strategies have led to millions of dollars recovered for the injured patient.
Vicarious liability is a legal theory that uses the doctrine of respondeat superior (Latin for “let the master answer”). Under the principle of respondeat superior, employers can be held liable for the negligence of their employees while they’re on the job. This includes medical malpractice lawsuits. A hospital can be held accountable for the actions of its emergency room doctors if the injury to the patient occurred within work hours, resulted from their medical treatment (i.e., surgery or childbirth), and benefited the hospital.
To determine if it applies to your claim for compensation, consult with your emergency room malpractice attorney.
Going up against the insurance company of a powerful doctor or a large hospital emergency department is intimidating. When you’re dealing with debilitating injuries, physical pain, and unexpected financial burdens, pursuing a medical negligence claim can be paralyzing.
The emergency room error attorneys at Regan Zambri Long will serve as your legal advocate and champion for justice. Our team of lawyers will handle the legal paperwork and filing, making sure your compensation claim is submitted correctly and on time.
We’ll conduct an independent investigation, gathering evidence like medical records and expert opinions to build a strong case. Finally, we will fight for the compensation you and your family deserve. We have a proven track record of success in holding negligent emergency room staff accountable.
Call today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to discuss your case and get the process started.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.