Documentary sparks discussion about medical mistakes
Medical errors are one of the biggest understated fears for Pennsylvania residents. Since going to see a medical professional is done to receive effective treatment for an illness, condition or injury, there is a clear expectation that the medical professionals will adhere to standard protocol and provide the proper treatment....
Read MoreStudy indicates many medical mistakes might stem from burnout
Pennsylvania residents who seek medical care for any reason have the right to expect that they will be given the proper treatment, the correct medications and not be subject to mistakes on the part of medical professionals. Unfortunately, medical errors are common and they can cause serious injury and even...
Read MoreU.S. has high number of mistakes injuring mothers in childbirth
Barring unusual issues, most Pennsylvanians will not view childbirth as overtly dangerous to the health of the mother and child. In truth, there is recent information stating that mothers are experiencing an increasing number of complications, injuries and death during childbirth in the United States. This was presented in an...
Read MorePennsylvania high court case has medical malpractice implications
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is poised to decide a case that could have wide-ranging implications for health care practitioners. In Pennsylvania, the law in medical malpractice cases has been that a doctor – or other health care professional – cannot claim that a patient “assumed the risk” of a procedure...
Read MoreMistaken identity can lead to medical malpractice in Pennsylvania
Horror stories about the wrong patient being anesthetized and wheeled into surgery, only to be operated on before the mistake has been realized, abound in pop culture. With the precautions that hospitals, physicians and other healthcare facilities take these days to confirm identities, mistaken identity is far less common than...
Read MoreJury verdict sets record in Pennsylvania medical negligence case
When a patient seeks the advice or care of a health professional in Pennsylvania, they are trusting the professional to use the utmost care and skill – particularly where children and infants are concerned. If a medical provider fails to meet the standards expected of them by their profession, the...
Read MoreA $3.4 million award in Pennsylvania medical malpractice case
When a medical professional is presented with the evidence they need to make a diagnosis and yet fails to do so, such a failure may rise to the level of medical malpractice. In some cases, the failure to diagnose results in the worsening of a patient’s condition, requiring in turn...
Read MoreNot all medical malpractice is accidental
An oft-heard maxim of health care is “first, do no harm.” Medical malpractice may arise when this maxim is violated. Most typically, when the topic of medical malpractice comes up, it involves tales of bungled surgeries, misdiagnoses or even the failure to diagnose an illness. What these types of cases...
Read MoreIs failure to diagnose an illness medical malpractice?
When a patient sees a medical professional and explains a set of symptoms, the patient can reasonably expect that tests will be conducted, the symptoms will be taken into account and a diagnosis will be given. Once there is a diagnosis, treatment can begin. But, what if the medical professional...
Read MoreInvasion of privacy may rise to level of medical malpractice
When one thinks of a medical malpractice case, incidents such as surgical errors, failures to diagnose an illness, or secondary infections may come to mind. In Pennsylvania, as elsewhere, medical professionals are not only supposed to do their jobs correctly, they are also held to a higher standard of conduct....
Read MoreSometimes a lawyer is ‘just what the doctor ordered’
In Pennsylvania, when you visit a hospital or doctor’s office, or move a loved one into a care facility, you expect to be treated with the utmost care and professionalism. And in the vast majority of cases, you receive the care you expect. Unfortunately, however, mistakes happen, as do negligent...
Read MoreWhat’s the time limit for a medical negligence-caused death case?
A recent opinion from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court clarified the statute of limitations – the time limit for filing a lawsuit – in cases where a person dies because of medical negligence. Justice Sallie Mundy wrote the opinion in the case of Dubose v. Quinlan. Although the two-year statute of...
Read MoreHealth care warranties: compensation for medical negligence?
When medical professionals are negligent or make mistakes, patients and insurers are usually the ones who have to foot the bill. This is different from most other industries where a provider is expected to make good on a faulty service or product. If a person paid a plumber to fix...
Read MoreVictims of surgical errors are legally protected
Surgical errors can be devastating to victims which is why victims have important legal protections when they have been injured or otherwise harmed by surgical errors or other medical malpractice. When a medical care provider has been careless and negligently harmed a patient, victims and their families can seek compensation...
Read MoreHelp is available for victims of medical misdiagnosis
When an illness or disease is not properly diagnosed, it cannot be properly treated. An erroneous diagnosis can result in a worsened medical condition and even death. Fortunately, legal protections are available to help victims through the challenges they face because of a medical misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose....
Read MoreState supreme court issues important medical malpractice ruling
Medical malpractice claims are an important resource for victims and their families harmed by medical negligence. A recent state supreme court decision in Pennsylvania could result in a greater number of medical malpractice claims. The court returned a case to the lower court, finding that a doctor could not delegate...
Read MoreLegal resources help victims of nursing home harm
Nursing homes employ trusted caretakers to care for residents entrusted to the nursing home by their family members. Nursing homes employ nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants and nurses’ aides to provide care for patients. When a loved one has been harmed in a nursing home, it can be...
Read MoreFamily receives $12.5 million medical malpractice settlement
Medical malpractice can have a lifelong impact on victims and their families. A recent settlement will result in a young girl who suffered brain and heart damage as a result of medical malpractice, and her parents, receiving a settlement of a minimum of $12.5 million. The settlement between the victims...
Read MoreProtections for victims of a failure to diagnose are available
Medical malpractice is serious for victims and their families. Medical mistakes can result in serious injuries, permanent harm and even death. Because a timely and accurate diagnosis is critical to successfully treating a medical condition, a failure to diagnose can result in a worsened condition. Medical mistakes can cause preventable...
Read MoreBaby injured at birth receives $23.1 million in settlement
Every parent’s worst nightmare became a reality for a couple in Tinley Park, Illinois, when they learned that their newborn child suffered serious complications during birth that would lead to life-long health problems. According to the attorney of the case, the infant victim was not properly treated and suffered from...
Read MoreProtecting loved ones from nursing home abuse
It is never an easy decision to send a loved one to a nursing home. But, as we age, sometimes we start to lose both the mental and physical abilities to take care of ourselves. Add to it the likelihood that we are not as healthy as our younger years...
Read MorePushing a medical malpractice case toward settlement
Many Pennsylvania residents know that medical malpractice cases can be difficult to pursue successfully. These types of cases can involve complex factual scenarios that can be difficult to present to a jury in a trial. However, if the evidence is strong enough, there is a possibility that the case could...
Read MoreWhen PA medical negligence is suspected, consider filing suit
When you have your health, you have everything. For some, being in a healthy state is a constant struggle. Whether due to a medical condition or an injury one suffered, there comes a time in everyone’s life when they require medical attention. Our country’s medical care is known as some...
Read MoreCan someone besides my doctor be responsible for medical injury?
When the majority of people think of medical malpractice, they think of a doctor performing a surgery inaccurately and thus causing serious and unnecessary injury to their patient. While it is true that this is an example of a medical malpractice case, there are many other ways that medical malpractice...
Read MoreAchieving success in a doctor error case from beginning to end
In the legal system, cases can take on a life of their own over time. When a lawsuit is commenced by Pennsylvania residents, the situation at the conclusion of the lawsuit might look quite a bit different from how it appeared at the outset. Some of this is by design....
Read MoreDiscovery and trial in a medical malpractice case
When Pennsylvania patients see their doctor, a brief visit can have major, life-changing repercussions. A doctor’s failure to diagnose a serious illness, for example, can result in significant harm to the patient as the real issue goes untreated. Last week, this blog discussed the discovery process that takes place in...
Read MoreHow is defendant evidence gathered in a medical malpractice case?
In the wake of a serious tragedy, Pennsylvania residents often have many more questions than answers. Confusion can reign supreme as even those closest to the incident attempt to piece together what happened and why it happened. This is often the case when it comes to surgical errors and other...
Read MoreBreaking the code of silence after a doctor error
Every Pennsylvania resident makes mistakes from time to time. The important thing, as is often said, is for individuals to learn from their mistakes to prevent making them again in the future. Of course, some mistakes are more serious than others. A medical mistake made by a doctor can end...
Read MoreOvercoming a denial of a medical mistake from a doctor
When Pottsville residents suffer personal injury at the hands of others, it is vital that the other person be held accountable for his or her actions. This is especially true for professionals like doctors, who can have the lives of many patients in their hands. Last week, this blog discussed...
Read MoreDoctor errors often not disclosed to patients
One of the simplest lessons many Pottsville residents are taught from the time they are young is to learn from their mistakes. In order to be responsible, individuals have to own up to their mistakes and try not to repeat those same mistakes over and over. Unfortunately, it can often...
Read MoreDoctor’s conflicts of interest becoming more common
When Pottsville residents visit the doctor, they often place a great deal of trust in what the doctor has to say. Patients depend heavily on that trust when they follow a doctor’s advice to undergo a certain procedure, take a specific medication or go through some other course of care....
Read MoreMedical malpractice claims can compensate suffering victims
A doctor’s training imposes upon him certain duties of care that he must exercise when diagnosing and treating his patients. Pennsylvania residents rely on their doctors each and every day to meet those important duties to help ensure that their injuries and illnesses are properly managed and remedied. Although legitimate...
Read MoreHolding nursing homes accountable when injuries occur
Tragedy can strike at any time for Pottsville residents. As discussed last week in this blog, no person is immune from being the victim of a medical error, whether they are of advanced age or just a baby. While any person can be the victim of medical malpractice, so too...
Read MoreWhat relief does one have after a birth injury is suffered?
When a new member is added to Pottsville residents’ family, it is supposed to be one of the most joyous times in someone’s life. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, such as when a premature delivery results in serious injury to the child. Birth injuries can occur due to...
Read MoreFamed comedian’s family settles medical malpractice lawsuit
When it comes to sensitive matters like health care, even a relatively routine visit to the doctor can turn into a very serious matter for Pottsville residents. Whether a doctor misses a serious diagnosis that causes later harm to the patient or commits some error that immediately injures the patient,...
Read MoreNavigating through the maze of medical malpractice issues
When Pottsville residents visit their health care professionals, they expect that their doctors and nurses will care for them properly and improve their health. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as many patients suffer injury at the hands of those who are supposed to protect it. There is no...
Read MoreIs a doctor’s apology admissible in a malpractice case?
In the legal system, even the simplest of issues can become complicated in some cases. This is because a seemingly minor detail can have major legal significance, whether Pottsville residents realize it or not. For instance, last week this blog discussed the frustration many patients have when their doctors refuse...
Read MoreDoctors refuse to apologize after removing wrong rib on woman
Every Pottsville residents makes mistakes from time to time. Everyone is human, after all, and a basic part of the human experience is making mistakes and learning from them. The important thing is that individuals understand how to make the situation right after a mistake, particularly when the mistake involves...
Read MoreNew study ties users’ tweets to medical errors
The technological advances over the past several years have been amazing for Pottsville residents to watch and experience. The computing power that used to take up the space of a room can now fit conveniently in the palm of one’s hand, and the functions of smartphones and other devices seem...
Read MoreFinding relief when doctors make things worse, not better
When Pottsville residents go to see their doctor, the goal is to make things better, not worse. Unfortunately, this does not always occur, as doctors make errors from time to time that negatively impact the patient’s health. There are many causes of doctor errors. For instance, last week this blog...
Read MoreDepression among physicians more likely to cause doctor errors
The holidays are often thought of as a joyful time of the year for Pottsville residents. While the holiday season can bring family and friends together, it can also create a great deal of stress and anxiety. This stress and anxiety can take the joy out of the holidays, particularly...
Read MoreHow do medication errors occur?
When tragedies happen in the lives of Pottsville residents, one of the first questions often asked is why the incident happened. Individuals want to understand the circumstances that caused the incident to occur, and how similar incidents can be prevented from reoccurring in the future for others. For instance, a...
Read MoreStudy reveals even higher rate of medical errors than thought
When Pottsville residents must undergo medical treatment to address a serious condition or injury, it can be scary and intimidating. Patients who find themselves in this situation place an immense amount of trust in their doctor and other medical professionals. Unfortunately, this trust can be violated when medical errors are...
Read MoreWhat rights does a patient have?
When Pottsville residents are not treated properly by others, it is important to know what rights the person may have, particularly when the improper treatment causes harm to the individual. When individuals are made aware of their rights, it can spur them to take action to correct the situation or...
Read MoreThink medical errors are rare? Think again, says new study
When Pottsville residents need assistance with a complicated subject, they often consult the services of an expert. This is certainly the case when it comes to medical advice, as patients rely upon those who have the experience and training necessary to properly treat a patient’s condition. Unfortunately, however, those tasked...
Read MoreTwo patients die at Pennsylvania hospital after mold discovered
When Pottsville residents get seriously ill, they feel safe knowing they have a place to go for treatment and follow-up care. Unfortunately, while hospitals can be life-saving places for the patients who rely on them, they can also be places where patients are injured even worse after being admitted. There...
Read MoreWhat action can an injured patient take after a birth injury?
There are some Pennsylvania residents who handle stress better than others. Certain jobs demand these types of individuals, such as those jobs where critical decisions must be made in a very intense and stressful environment. This is often the case when it comes to the birthing process, as doctors must...
Read MoreInjured by a doctor’s error? Know your options for relief
It can be disheartening for Pennsylvania residents to have their trust in another person violated. This is particularly true when the other person holds a special status, such as a doctor or medical professional who is responsible for ensuring the care of the patient. The doctor can seriously violate the...
Read MoreStudy finds malpractice suits more common against male doctors
When it comes to choosing a doctor, there are certain factors that are more important than others for Pennsylvania residents. Typically, the most important factors have to do with the doctor’s qualifications, area of expertise and the relationship between the patient and the doctor. Just as many factors can go...
Read MoreGetting accountability in a malpractice case, one step at a time
When someone is injured through another person’s negligence, Pennsylvania law provides that the injured may be compensated through a personal injury lawsuit. These lawsuits are important ways to help the injured pay for medical expenses and other damages, but they can also be important in a more abstract way: They...
Read MoreHolding doctors accountable for medical mistakes
Pennsylvania residents place a great deal of trust in their doctors. Doctors go through years of education and training to give them special expertise in treating patients, and patients, in turn, trust that the doctor will act competently and professionally in administering this care. Unfortunately, this is not always the...
Read MoreSteps patients can take to help prevent medical mistakes
It is only natural that when one visits a hospital in Pennsylvania for medical treatment, that one will leave in better health than when one arrived. Unfortunately, avoidable medical mistakes occur at an alarming frequency. There are ways, however, patients can attempt to protect themselves from falling victim to a...
Read MoreHow medical malpractice is handled in Pennsylvania
An act of medical malpractice can be defined roughly as an injurious mistake made by a medical professional while treating a patient. Usually someone filing a medical malpractice claim is doing so because a medical mistake was made which caused them to suffer some type of injury; an injury that...
Read MoreElements of medical malpractice
Medical malpractice happens when a patient decides to sue a medical professional for injuries suffered as a result of that medical professional’s negligence. Now, there is a lot of legal terminology that goes along with filing a medical malpractice suit, terminology that the average layperson may not be privy to....
Read MoreWhat are Pennsylvanian responsibilities in medical malpractice?
Most Pennsylvanians do not have to worry about filing a medical malpractice claim. Most people do not experience anything out of the ordinary when they visit the doctor or have medical procedures done. But, for those of us that have to go through a situation where a medical mistake takes...
Read MoreWhat are some birth injuries that can occur?
The birth of a child for Pottsville area residents is usually a joyous occasion. The new child is anxiously anticipated for months before it is born. Most births go as expected, with no complications, but occasionally a birth injury can occur. There are several different birth injuries that a newborn...
Read MoreWhat are defense team tactics in medical malpractice cases?
When a medical mistake rises to the level of a medical malpractice claim by a Pennsylvania patient, the alleged mistake is usually quite serious. Individuals who have been harmed medically utilize malpractice claims to rectify the wrong done to them, although this wrong must be proven by the patient. At...
Read MorePotential for nursing home errors difficult to spot
Winter is a hard month for people who live in Pennsylvania. From shoveling out from snowstorms to paying down high heating bills to commuting to jobs on icy roads, winter months pose challenges to area residents that just do not exist during other times of year. During these rough months,...
Read MoreChanges in the medical malpractice playing field
Medical malpractice claims are a part of the practice of medicine in Pottsville and elsewhere. When a patient feels like they have been harmed while receiving medical care, they have a right to make a claim for medical malpractice. This claim signifies that the claimant believes that the medical professional...
Read MoreDoctors and defensive medicine fight against malpractice
Medical malpractice claims arise out of medical mistakes or misconduct by a health care professional that results in injury to the patient. It is a negligence claim whereby the individual making the claim has to prove a negligence case. This requires that the claimant must show that there was a...
Read MoreIs medical malpractice the same thing as negligence?
Medical malpractice lawsuits are relatively common in Pennsylvania, as they are in other states. However, many people don’t understand how they work, and how they relate to other types of personal injury lawsuits, such as those filed after a car accident. Most personal injury lawsuits are based upon the legal...
Read MoreMedical malpractice: How it applies to claims in Pennsylvania
Doctors are people who have the medical knowledge to heal, alleviate or prevent injury. Most doctors utilize their abilities to help people every day. However, sometimes the decisions of medical professionals cause more harm than good. These incidents can cause injuries that may be compensated for under medical malpractice laws....
Read MoreWhat is the window for medical malpractice in Pennsylvania?
Medical malpractice is a negligence claim whereby the person bringing the claim is doing so because of a medical error of some kind. Whether it is failure to diagnose, doctor error or an error by some other medical professional, the purpose of the claim is to assess blame when an...
Read MoreRule changes lead to fewer malpractice suits in Pennsylvania
Medical malpractice lawsuits are a way of holding medical professionals responsible for their mistakes. The medical profession and their insurance companies, however, have for years been lobbying for changes that make such lawsuits harder to bring. Proving a medical malpractice case is not easy to do. The injured claimant must...
Read MoreMedical malpractice statistics may be skewed by settlements
Medical malpractice is generally when a patient sues someone in the medical profession for negligence. In these types of cases the patient who brings the suit has to show three things: that the doctor, nurse or other medical professional owed them a duty as that licensed practitioner, that the duty...
Read MoreSeriously injured newborn wins medical malpractice case
Medical professional negligence can lead to medical practice claims against individuals in the medical field. Doctors and nurses are held to a certain standard in the medical world. This standard is determined by the courts and applied where appropriate. Medical malpractice cases are based in tort law and are, essentially,...
Read MoreYoung woman dies and parents file medical malpractice suit
Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional has failed in his or her duty to provide appropriate medial care and that failure results in harm to the patient to some degree. Medical malpractice claims, whether they are based on doctor error, failure to diagnose or another incident, are negligence claims...
Read MoreAn apology may make it all better for medical malpractice
At some point in our lives, we will all likely need medical assistance in some form or fashion. Regardless of the circumstances underlying the medical care, people tend to trust what doctors say and when that trust is breached that is when patients file medical malpractice lawsuits. Medical professionals are...
Read MoreMedical malpractice case against hospital ends in huge award
Hospitals can be scary and unsettling anytime a person is required to go, no matter the reason. No one volunteers to go to the hospital, and often, no one wants to go even when they actually need to. Some people may even fear that they will be further injured by...
Read MoreLarge award in Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawsuit
Medical malpractice claims are essentially negligence claims. A person bringing such a claim has to prove that the medical professional’s mistake in fact happened and caused some type of damage. In other words, negligence cases require that the claimant prove there was a duty owed, that the duty owed was...
Read MorePennsylvania jury gives $4M award in medical malpractice case
Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional makes a mistake in the care of a patient which causes further injuries to the patient. A claim for medical malpractice is based on the theory of negligence, which requires that the person bringing the claim prove that the elements of negligence exist....
Read MoreParents to receive small percentage of medical malpractice award
Pennsylvania parents-to-be expect to have a healthy baby. However, excitement can quickly turn to anger and fear when doctors fail to perform medical procedures properly. An Indiana couple recently won a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor who allegedly caused their daughter to be born with cerebral palsy. Nonetheless, the...
Read MoreAn apology in Pennsylvania may thwart medical malpractice claims
People who enter any type of facility looking to obtain medical services are entitled to receive said services in a professional manner. Doctors, nurses and all other medical professionals are expected and legally required to provide individuals with the most appropriate care to address their medical needs. This standard of...
Read MorePennsylvania sees a drop in medical malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs where a health care professional does not do their due diligence with respect to the medical care of a patient thus causing injury or death to the patient. Courts take this type of medical professional negligence very seriously because it involves peoples’ lives. People who seek medical...
Read MoreHospital, doctor settle med mal cases involving unneeded devices
In the middle of a significant medical malpractice trial that may have attracted the attention of some Pennsylvania residents, a doctor and a hospital suddenly decided to settle several cases for an undisclosed amount. Some reports suggest that the hospital agreed to pay $22 million. During this medical malpractice trial,...
Read MoreA late father’s son sues for medical malpractice
Medical malpractice occurs in situations where the patient in a medical facility is not properly cared for resulting in injuries to the patient. Doctors, nurses and others with medical training are held to a higher standard of care by virtue of their medical backgrounds. When this standard of care is...
Read MoreVeteran wins medical malpractice suit vs. Pennsylvania hospital
Medical mistakes make the headlines every day: wrong-site surgeries, failure to diagnose diseases and other examples of medical malpractice are unfortunate reminders that our health care system is not immune from medical professional negligence. One recent story from a Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center here in Pennsylvania, however, serves as a...
Read MoreJury awards family $7 million for man’s wrongful death
In some unfortunate situations, people have to deal with the mistreatment of a family member by medical professionals. Medical malpractice occurs when a health care professional fails to provide a patient with the accepted standard of care in the medical community and causes serious injury or death. In Pennsylvania, medical...
Read MoreMedical malpractice: A case of divided negligence in Pennsylvania
In civil lawsuits involving numerous parties accused of negligence, the negligence may be divided into percentages. For instance, in a recent medical malpractice case that was settled in Pennsylvania, three separate parties were found to be negligent, but to greater or lesser degrees. Medical malpractice and wrongful death claims were...
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