If you pay attention to the dates when people are more likely to be killed or harmed by errors by hospital staff including nurses and doctors, you see a clear pattern in North Carolina and elsewhere. When you come to big holidays like July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas many of the most senior workers on the medical staff get to take time off. Those medical personnel with the least experience and seniority are left on the skeletal crew that runs the medical centers and facilities on these major holidays. It is just common sense that there are going to be greater risks on those weekends when the hospital is less well staffed, including such problems as misdiagnosis, improper medication administration, and lapses due to overworked and tired employees.

The bottom line to protect yourself as a potential patient is to avoid the local hospital as best you can during big holidays like Independence Day. Obviously, some emergencies such as car accidents, broken bones or injuries to children like a closed head injury from diving at a swimming pool can’t be avoided. If you need to go to your local emergency room, you do so. What you want to avoid is any kind of elective surgery that could be scheduled for another time. If you are forced to be in the hospital during one of these times, then simply be aware of the increased risk and protect yourself and your loved ones by trying to make sure that all the hospital staff are paying sufficient attention and thereby give yourself the best chance of getting the top-notched medical care that you expect and deserve.

Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the Northeast North Carolina (NC) border, practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm’s website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.