When we go to the hospital or doctors office, we expect to receive care that will help us get better instead of care that causes or aggravates illness. We expect our medical professionals to properly diagnose the conditions from which we suffer, prescribe the correct type and amount of safe medications, perform medical treatments with the utmost care and skill, and facilitate our overall health and well-being. We have a right to expect these services from our health care professionals. When a medical facility or health care professional causes or aggravates injury, this negligence or wrongdoing is considered medical malpractice.

Medical malpractice occurs much more often than we would imagine. According to a study conducted by the Harvard University in 1990, approximately 80,000 people die as a result of medical malpractice every year in the United States. In a large-scale review of autopsy reports, researchers discovered misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose was the cause of death in 30 to 40 percent of the cases studied. According to the United States Pharmacopoeia, more than 400,000 prescription errors have occurred in emergency rooms since 1998. Surgical errors, failure to treat, anesthesia errors, inappropriate care, substandard care, and other medical mistakes are preventable acts which result from medical negligence or wrongdoing. Wrongful death can occur when a patient dies because a medical professional fails to prevent injury or illness. Medical malpractice can occur in any area of medicine, from the pharmacy to the laboratory to the operating room.

Birth injury is a common area of medical malpractice. When we are expecting a child, we expect our doctor to help us through the pregnancy and delivery process. If a woman receives substandard pre-natal care or her doctor fails to diagnose, prevent, and/or treat possible birth complications, birth injury is the result of medical malpractice. Serious injury can occur when a doctor fails to prevent and treat pregnancy/ birth complications. Cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, fetal stroke, and traumatic brain injury are just some of the preventable birth injuries that can occur as a result of medical malpractice.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of medical malpractice in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your losses and suffering. A Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawsuit can help you and your family recover medical expenses, loss of income, other out-of-pocket expenses, loss of companionship, disability, and pain and suffering.

If you suspect that medical malpractice may have caused injury to you or a loved one, it is important to contact a qualified and experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney. Every case of medical malpractice is subject to a statute of limitations; therefore, it is important to speak with an attorney soon to maximize your legal interests. To learn more about your legal rights and options, please contact us to speak with a qualified Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer near you.