Think this is worth a lawsuit? (not seriously considering it..just saying)

[Queasy]

My mother-in-law woke up early yesterday morning very sick and unable to move. She couldn't even open her eyes without inducing major nausea and vomiting. Her 16 year old son called the paramedics and then my wife at just after 6 in the morning. My wife meets them at the hospital at around 6:45am. I talk with my wife at 8:45am and a doctor still hasn't my mother-in-law. They have her on IV but never check her blood pressure and a nurse comes to check on her twice in three hours. They discharge her at around 10am with a prescription and a diagnosis of ear virus with a doctor never seeing her. As my mother-in law is being helped out the door by my wife, she starts coughing up blood. The nurse tells my wife to take her home and let her rest and everything will be ok.

So, my mother-in-law does not have insurance. She owns a hair salon and a restaurant and can afford insurance for her son but not for her. While her son was standing in the hall he heard a doctor say something to the effect of "She doesn't have insurance so go ahead and dismiss her".

I realize that not having insurance is a problem but am I mistaken to believe that is not a reason to deny medical care to a woman who can't open her eyes without getting dizzy and inducing vomiting and is coughing up blood?

My wife is taking her mother to the hospital by our house today and hopefully she will have better luck.

 

[Amused]

If the doctor determines that her condition is not life threatening, he has no obligation to treat her.

That said, it's always a good idea to get a second opinion.

 

[tranceport]

Sounds about right..

I believe they have to stablize the person. Hence them saying "she'll be alright". Are there no free hostpitals around?

 

[AdamSnow]

Give it a shot, it's the American way!

 

[Queasy]

I only ask about the lawsuit because my wife is so incredibly pissed that she wants to call a lawyer. I'm just not sure if it is a viable case or not.

 

[Hammer]

a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

 

[GasX]

I think you should sue. I think everybody should sue. I am going to sue you.

If you walk into a diner in the desert after being lost for two days, they will probably put some food in your belly and give you a drink. You can't blame them for asking you to leave after that if you are not planning on paying for any more food.

 

[NeoPTLD]

The campus bookstore didn't let me go home with books for free. Heavens forbid the idea of them not paying for your expenses. Should I sue?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Queasy
I only ask about the lawsuit because my wife is so incredibly pissed that she wants to call a lawyer. I'm just not sure if it is a viable case or not.

Think about this for a second. She is wanting to sue a man for not providing his services to a person who had no ability to pay and most likely would never pay?

Are doctors slaves?

At any rate, the only legal obligation he had was to stabilize her and ensure her condition was not life threatening.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: Queasy
I only ask about the lawsuit because my wife is so incredibly pissed that she wants to call a lawyer. I'm just not sure if it is a viable case or not.

It's not. They are not required to treat her if the situation isn't life threatening. (Like Amused said)

You should have at least one hospital in the city that you can go to without insurance and they have to treat you.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I think you should sue. I think everybody should sue. I am going to sue you.

If you walk into a diner in the desert after being lost for two days, they will probably put some food in your belly and give you a drink. You can't blame them for asking you to leave after that if you are not planning on paying for any more food.

I'm going to sue you for suggesting that you're going to sue him!

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

Did you say you're going to pay for her medical bills? If not, what makes you think a medical clinic, a private corporation, have legal obligation to give you service?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

When you filled out the forms at the time you entered the hospital, what did you put down for financial responsibility?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

When you filled out the forms at the time you entered the hospital, what did you put down for financial responsibility?

I'd have to ask my wife as I was not there. I'd guess that they had to put down that it would be self-pay.

 

[Hammer]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

it's always an option. anywhere. what? you thought they wouldn't take your money? uh huh. they need some guarantee of payment. if you had done that, they would have taken her without any issues. who filled out the paperwork? on it, it will have a place where you can list your insurance or credit card, etc.

 

[Ronstang]

Too bad lawyers and insurance companies have destroyed our health care system to the point that even people with a decent livelyhood cannot afford to be part of it.

 

[James3shin]

while its wrong in terms of "morals," not helping a sick individual due to lack of insurance, however its not illegal in this situation.

 

[maziwanka]

what about bring your mother-in-law under your insurance plan? i think that might solve some problems.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Hammer

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

it's always an option. anywhere. what? you thought they wouldn't take your money? uh huh. they need some guarantee of payment. if you had done that, they would have taken her without any issues. who filled out the paperwork? on it, it will have a place where you can list your insurance or credit card, etc.

As I said in my previous post, I was not there so I'd have to ask my wife what was put on the form. But, since she doesn't have insurance I'd imagine that some form of self-payment option was put down.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
Too bad lawyers and insurance companies have destroyed our health care system to the point that even people with a decent livelyhood cannot afford to be part of it.

You can partly blame frivolous lawsuits.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Hammer
a lawsuit? for what? how about your slap your credit card down and pay for all her expenses? if not, then what are you complaining about? if you won't pay for it, why should they?

Well, they never gave us that option now did they? They just let her sit in a room for three hours without a doctor seeing her and then dismissed her.

When you filled out the forms at the time you entered the hospital, what did you put down for financial responsibility?

I'd have to ask my wife as I was not there. I'd guess that they had to put down that it would be self-pay.

If you have the ability to pay, but are uninsured, put "self insured" in the financial responsibility area.

 

[dabuddha]

I'd talk to a lawyer if I were you. If she's coughing up blood, then how can the doctor say she's ok to go home?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: maziwanka
what about bring your mother-in-law under your insurance plan? i think that might solve some problems.

Nope, insurance only allows for immediate family (wife and children). Doesn't allow for in-laws unless they are dependents (I think).

 

[maziwanka]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: maziwanka
what about bring your mother-in-law under your insurance plan? i think that might solve some problems.

Nope, insurance only allows for immediate family (wife and children). Doesn't allow for in-laws unless they are dependents (I think).

and your wife's insurance plan? unless she doesn't work