Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Malpractice Lawyer
When a medical procedure goes wrong or a doctor fails to diagnose cancer, patients are often left wondering whose fault it was, if anyone’s. Did the doctor actually make an error? Can the hospital be sued? If you ask a healthcare provider or a hospital administrator, the answer will certainly be “no.” But to truly understand what happened, and what your legal options are, you need to discuss your case with an attorney. At The Villari Firm, PLLC, our Pennsylvania Hospital medical malpractice lawyer takes the time to explain the medical malpractice process to our clients, inform them of their rights, and pursue financial justice until we win.
Elements of a Successful Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Malpractice Claim
Not all mistakes constitute medical malpractice. For example, an emergency surgery to save a patient from bleeding to death after a car crash might only have a 50 percent chance of a successful outcome due to the complexity of the procedure. If a doctor is unable to save the life of the patient, and practiced within the standard of care, it is unlikely that a medical malpractice claim will succeed in court. In order for a claim to be successful, the plaintiff must establish the following:
- Healthcare provider owed a duty of care to the patient
- The healthcare provider breached the duty by deviating from the accepted standard of care
- The patient suffered an injury because of the breach
- This resulted in damages for the patient
“Standard of care” is a legal term used to define what type of medical treatment is prudent and acceptable in a specific case. It means that a doctor in Temple University Hospital should provide the same quality and type of care for a patient with a broken leg as a doctor at UPenn Hospital would treat a similar patient.
How and Where Medical Malpractice is LIkely to Take Place at Pennsylvania Hospital
Medical negligence takes many forms, and can happen at any wing of a hospital and to any patient. Examples of medical malpractice include the following:
- A doctor fails to diagnose aortic dissection
- Infection picked up at an unsanitary hospital room requires amputation of a patient’s leg
- Anesthesiologist gave too much anesthesia medication during surgery
- OB/GYN failed to perform a C-section in time
- A surgery patient was given the wrong blood type, resulting in organ damage
- A general practitioner did not notice the signs of cancer and failed to refer the patient to a specialist
- An Emergency Room doctor failed to detect the signs of stroke and did not administer life-saving mediation in the required time window
- A hospital’s laboratory mixed up two patients’ samples
- A hospital pharmacy misprinted a patient’s dose on the medicaion’s label
- A nurse failed to keep a patient’s main line clean, resulting in infection
- A radiologist failed to identify a tumor, resulting in delayed cancer treatment
Call a Pennsylvania Hospital Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
Victims of medical malpractice should not have to pay for their hospital bills, future treatment, and all of the other expenses that go along with a serious injury. If Pennsylvania Hospital made an error, they should be held accountable. Call The Villari Firm today at 215-372-8889 for a free consultation.
