A few months ago I was unjustly fired after a resident died, after my shift, and after she had been released from the emergency room. She had trouble swallowing something at lunch and another nurse suctioned her.
I was accused of neglect and reported to the state.
I only found out about it because I got a letter back saying, and I quote, "There is insufficient credible evidence to support that you are responsible for the alleged incident." Thank goodness for my unit clerk, who refused to change her story after being requested to by the DON. She told him, "I told the truth, and I'm not changing it."
Luckily I was cleared, but if I had to be fighting right new - whew!
We were told in nursing school that we didn't need additional insurance, that our employer would cover us. We were also told that if you had additional insurance, if there was a suit and your nursing actions were fine, if the attorney for the plaintiff found out about it, more likely than not, you would be dragged in.
The truth of the matter is that some employers will view you as a liability (to be gotten rid of) in the case of a lawsuit where you're accused of any type of error or negligence. They will try to put all the blame on you for whatever went wrong and then even fire you on top of it. In the OP's case, this is exactly what they did.
What the instructor told you about being sued is true. Greedy lawyers will make an extra effort to drag you into lawsuits if they know you have liability coverage because they know they'll collect bigger money if you are found liable. I don't ever tell co-workers or employers that I have Liability Insurance.
The time to notify your insurance carrier is the moment you are notified, by whatever means, that you have been named in a lawsuit or that you will be testifying as a witness to your employer's suit. The rep will take down some info from you over the phone, and you will be reminded to say nothing to anybody about the case.
when choosing your insurance carrier make sure that they accept lawyers of your choice in you area
having insurnace is kida like having umbrella that you can break out when the need is there
a civil court is more about ascertaining the facts and determining the amount of harm which defendent was involved in
never had to go up against a bon panel but if you have a lawyer there
to represent you you will fill so much better than you would be alone
these are professionals who spent as much or more time in school and clinic learning their professtion as you
you facility' legal rep - his job is to protect them...if he has to step on some toes to do he will have forgotten it by the first cocktail
one thing to believe in the real world don't believe anybody and the most important thingcover up you backside
your license will not be of anygood to you or any furture patients if you are in court alone trying to defend yourself against a battery of the company paid blood suckers
Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
not perjury, neither of my answers would be lying, and lying would be required for a charged of perjury....and not game playing either, very plain and to the point...
The judge would find you in "contempt of court"...the same charge that they use when someone is being unreasonable, uncooperative, or disruptive in a courtroom. No further explanation is necessary. And you would be removed from the courtroom, fined, and receive possible jail time...when all you had to do was tell them, "Yes, I have malpractice insurance."
I don't see why anyone would go through that to conceal their coverage.
We were told the same thing in my nursing class and at my orientation in the hospital I currently work at. Perhaps I should rethink this.:uhoh21:[/quote
I was also told the same thing during school and at my hospital orientation. In fact, at orientation it was nearly an hour long lecture on how the hospital will always back up and support the employees. Yeah right! This could be anyone of us. I'll be getting my own insurance asap!
The judge would find you in "contempt of court"...the same charge that they use when someone is being unreasonable, uncooperative, or disruptive in a courtroom. No further explanation is necessary. And you would be removed from the courtroom, fined, and receive possible jail time...when all you had to do was tell them, "Yes, I have malpractice insurance."
I don't see why anyone would go through that to conceal their coverage.
i think the judge would have to instruct me to answer before he could find me in contempt.....i wonder why the person who frequents this board who is a lawyer hasnt weighed in....
I have to carry individual malpractice insurance as an EMT and even as a phlebotomy student, I think one of the reasons the hospital I work at hired me is because I have that. I work as a patient care tech part time now as I go through the RN program at school. Its really not that expensive and good to have!!
NurseguyFL
309 Posts
The truth of the matter is that some employers will view you as a liability (to be gotten rid of) in the case of a lawsuit where you're accused of any type of error or negligence. They will try to put all the blame on you for whatever went wrong and then even fire you on top of it. In the OP's case, this is exactly what they did.
What the instructor told you about being sued is true. Greedy lawyers will make an extra effort to drag you into lawsuits if they know you have liability coverage because they know they'll collect bigger money if you are found liable. I don't ever tell co-workers or employers that I have Liability Insurance.