Medical Malpractice

1.  What is medical malpractice?

A doctor or a hospital has a duty to provide patients with proper medical care to a reasonable standard set by health care providers within the same medical field.  This "standard of care" test is used to determine whether or not a doctor or a hospital has committed medical malpractice by doing something which should not have been done or failing to do something which should have been done, resulting in the medical care falling below the "standard of care" and thus constituting medical malpractice. 

2.   What should you do if you suspect that your doctor or a hospital has done something wrong? 

First, you must consult with a lawyer immediately to preserve your right to file a claim.   In Pennsylvania, a person has only two years to file a medical malpractice claim from the time they knew or should have known that their doctor did something wrong unless the injury could not have been discovered within this two-year period of time.

3.   What can you do now to help preserve your rights? 

Aside from consulting a lawyer, you must preserve evidence.  For example, keep your prescription bottles (even if empty) as well as any type of medical equipment used (i.e., crutches); keep receipts for all expenses associated with your injury (prescriptions, medical equipment, insurance co-payments); take pictures of any scarring, bruising, discoloration and/or swelling; keep a diary of how you feel each day, how you are limited by your injury, what doctors you see, and what medicine you take; and try to get your medical records from your physician or the hospital so you may use them while consulting with your lawyer as to your claim.

4.  What types of claims do our Firm handle? 

We have handled claims involving birth injuries, including obstetrical malpractice, emergency room mistakes, child birth mistakes, malpractice involving the heart and strokes, medication mistakes, delayed diagnosis of cancer and orthopedic injuries.