When you step into a hospital, you expect to be in safe hands. Hospitals are meant to be places of healing, staffed with trained professionals who prioritize your care. But what happens when a hospital fails to meet the very basic standards of care? What happens when their actions lead to harm instead of healing?
Hospital negligence is more common than many people realize. From mismanaged facilities to preventable infections, these issues can have devastating consequences for patients and their families. In fact, one recent study found that more than 250,000 deaths occur annually due to medical errors. Sadly, many of these deaths were caused by hospital negligence.
If you or someone you love was injured in a Miami-Dade County hospital due to negligence, you’re not alone. At Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys, PA., our Miami hospital negligence lawyers are here to help you through this difficult time. We know how to hold negligent institutions accountable for the harm their patients’ suffered.
What Is Hospital Negligence?
Hospital negligence occurs when a facility fails to provide the level of care reasonably expected in a healthcare setting. Unlike medical malpractice, which typically involves individual mistakes by doctors or nurses, hospital negligence is often tied to systemic issues. These might include:
- Poor Staff Training: Unprepared employees can make critical errors in patient care.
- Unsafe Conditions: Unsanitary equipment or hazardous premises can lead to infections or injuries.
- Neglect: Patients left unattended may suffer from bedsores, dehydration, or even falls.
- Disorganization: Mismanagement of resources can delay life-saving treatments.
Miami-Dade hospitals, whether private or public, are obligated to maintain safe and sanitary environments for their patients. When they fail to do so, the consequences can range from minor setbacks to life-altering injuries—or worse, wrongful death.
Common Examples of Hospital Negligence
Many patients are admitted to a hospital for a routine procedure, but instead of going home healthier, they leave with an infection that wasn’t there before. Unfortunately, situations like these happen far too often. This is just one of many examples of hospital negligence that can result in serious injury and harm. Some other examples of hospital negligence include:
- Infections like MRSA: Poor sanitation practices can expose patients to dangerous bacteria such as MRSA.
- Retention of Surgical Objects: Surgical tools or gauze left inside the body can cause severe complications.
- Patient Neglect: Bedsores, malnutrition, and dehydration often result from lack of attention.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: Hazards in hospital parking lots, lobbies, or hallways can lead to broken bones, brain injuries, or worse.
- Failure to Stabilize: Critically ill patients sometimes aren’t prioritized or managed correctly.
Each of these issues highlights one thing: negligence at the institutional level can be just as harmful as mistakes made by an individual healthcare provider.
Who Can Be Held Responsible? Call us today at (305) 694-2676 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Hablamos español.
When hospital negligence occurs, multiple parties may share responsibility depending on the circumstances:
- Hospitals as Entities: Hospitals, whether public or private, can be held liable for systemic failures such as inadequate staffing, lack of sanitation, or unsafe premises.
- Administrative Staff: If poor policies or mismanagement contribute to harm—such as improper scheduling or failing to maintain safety standards—the administrative team may be at fault.
- Maintenance Workers: When injuries result from hazardous conditions like slippery floors, broken equipment, or electrical issues, those responsible for maintaining the premises could be liable.
- Corporate Owners: Many hospitals are part of larger organizations. If corporate policies or cost-cutting measures lead to negligence, the parent company can be held accountable.
- Healthcare Providers Employed by the Hospital: While independent contractors like private doctors may not always implicate the hospital, staff directly employed by the facility—such as nurses, technicians, or resident physicians—can tie liability back to the hospital itself.
An experienced hospital negligence attorney will thoroughly investigate to identify all parties responsible, ensuring accountability at every level.
Can You Sue a Hospital in Florida for Negligence?
Yes, you can sue a hospital in Florida for negligence. Hospitals are legally responsible for providing a safe environment and ensuring their staff is well-trained to deliver appropriate care. If their failure to meet these responsibilities caused your injury, you may be entitled to compensation.
To prove a medical negligence claim, you’ll generally need to establish the following:
- Duty of Care: The hospital owed you a standard level of care.
- Breach of Duty: The facility failed to meet that standard.
- Causation: This failure directly caused your injury or illness.
- Damages: You suffered measurable harm—physically, emotionally, or financially.
Holding hospitals and large medical institutions accountable for negligence can be incredibly challenging. These organizations often have extensive resources, including legal teams protecting their interests. They may deny responsibility, shift blame to individual staff members, or argue that the harm was an unavoidable complication rather than negligence. Additionally, hospitals are often part of larger corporate entities, adding layers of bureaucracy and complexity to claims.
Proving negligence requires thorough investigation, expert testimony, and detailed evidence to show systemic failures or inadequate care. Without skilled legal representation, individuals can feel overwhelmed by the process. This is why working with an experienced attorney is so important. They can level the playing field and ensure hospitals are held accountable for the harm they cause.
How Much Is My Hospital Negligence Claim Worth?
The value of a hospital negligence claim varies widely based on the unique details of your case. Factors like the severity of your injury, the cost of medical care, the impact on the victim’s ability to work, and the level of emotional or physical suffering all play a role in determining the potential compensation.
Some cases may be worth tens of thousands of dollars, covering basic medical bills and lost wages, while others—particularly those involving long-term disability or wrongful death—can reach into the millions. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that you and your family receive compensation that fully reflects the hurt you’ve suffered – both financially and emotionally.
At Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys, PA., our experienced hospital negligence attorney will meet with you in a free consultation to discuss the specifics of your case. We can then give you a better idea of how much your claim may be worth.
Where Could Miami Hospital Negligence Occur? Get started with your complimentary case evaluation today; call us at (305) 694-2676 or reach us online using our secure contact form.
Hospital negligence can happen at any facility where systems fail to prioritize patient safety and care. In Miami, several hospitals and medical centers serve thousands of patients daily, making diligence and proper management crucial. While most provide excellent care, errors can occur anywhere. Here are some of the major hospitals in Miami-Dade County where negligence might happen:
- Jackson Memorial Hospital
- Baptist Hospital of Miami
- Mount Sinai Medical Center
- Mercy Hospital
- University of Miami Hospital
- Hialeah Hospital
- Kendall Regional Medical Center
- North Shore Medical Center
How Miami Hospital Negligence Lawyer Prosper Shaked Can Help
Filing a claim against a hospital can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Prosper Shaked has extensive experience holding negligent hospitals accountable across the Miami-Dade County and throughout the rest of Florida. Whether your case involves a severe infection, a preventable injury, or even the tragic loss of a loved one, we’ll fight to secure the compensation you deserve.
We understand how overwhelming this time may feel, but taking legal action can bring closure and financial relief. For a free, confidential consultation, call us today at (305) 694-2676 or contact us online. Don’t wait—time is limited, and your health and future matter.