Matt Patterson, firm partner and lead trial counsel, and Vanessa Makris, associate attorney at Beam Legal Team, recently co-authored an article that was published in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ILTLA) Trial Journal magazine, Summer 2024 edition (Volume 26, Number 2).
ILTLA is a statewide organization with over 2,000 members in the legal community dedicated to helping victims of negligence. They aim to be a voice for individuals who have been harmed by negligent healthcare providers, product manufacturers, and employers. As an organization, their mission is to protect every individual’s 7th Amendment right to a trial by jury. They believe that through education and training, everyone can be an advocate for safety and civil rights.
The article, titled “Holding Hospitals Responsible for ‘Independent Contractors’ Using Implied Agency: Question of Fact or Fiction?” sheds light on a major issue that occurs far too frequently at hospitals.
The Relationship Between Physicians and Hospitals
The modern hospital system operates in a way that takes little to no accountability for any injuries to patients. Traditionally, hospitals are liable when their doctors, nurses, and medical specialists commit misconduct, malpractice, or negligence. Unfortunately, hospitals today are implementing contracts that claim their physicians are “independent contractors.” This means when malpractice occurs, the fault is put on the physicians rather than on the hospitals where they work.
Although many physicians are not considered to be hospital employees under these contracts, they are still required to follow conditions of employment set by the hospital, which often include:
- Limiting what medical decisions they can make
- Designating which procedures they are permitted to perform
- Requiring them to be available and physically on site within 15 minutes of being paged in
Because of this, these medical providers should likely be legally classified as employees and not contractors.
Attys. Patterson and Makris’s article discusses who can be held liable in these situations.
Beam Legal Team Attorneys Shed Light on Medical Negligence
We are honored to have two of our attorneys published in such a prestigious journal and to be recognized by our peers in the field of medical malpractice. Patterson and Makris not only dedicate themselves to their clients by bringing them justice, but they use their voices to help people better understand the magnitude and frequency of this issue.
Contact Beam Legal Team Today Following Medical Malpractice
If you or someone you know has experienced any form of medical negligence, whether or not a hospital contractor was involved, we encourage you to contact us today. Here at Beam Legal Team, we are committed to providing you with the best possible support. We dedicate our practice to making sure that you receive the highest possible compensation for any injuries you or your child has suffered. Our team of knowledgeable, compassionate and committed attorneys are here to support you.
