Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn Attorneys
May 20, 2026
Learn how hospital negligence occurs and what system failures often lead to patient harm.
Hospitals are responsible for the negligence of employees and those held out as employees, but can also be held independently liable in certain cases. These are called corporate liability claims and involve allegations that a hospital failed to comply with certain non delegable duties owed directly to patients such as:
the duty to select and retain only competent staff
the duty to use reasonable care in the maintenance of safe and adequate facilities and equipment
the duty to formulate, adopt and enforce reasonable policies to ensure quality care
the duty to oversee all persons who practice within its walls
In addition to proving that a hospital violated one or more of these duties, a plaintiff must prove that the violation caused or contributed to their injury, and the testimony of an expert witness is usually required for the case to proceed.
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Understanding Your Legal Rights After an Incident
Understanding your legal rights after hospital negligence is important because system-level errors can affect multiple stages of care.
You can review your options for more clarity.