There are literally dozens of hospitals in the Philadelphia suburban area. Some hospitals rank high in terms of patient care. Many advertise patient care rankings in a bid to get more patients. However, no hospital is immune from medical malpractice.
The reality is that medical malpractice, i.e., surgical errors, diagnosis mistakes, etc., occurs every day in this country. While in many cases, the mistake is caught and the patient does not suffer any major harm, in some cases, a medical error can result in serious harm or worse, result in a patient’s death.
Medical malpractice in hospitals in Philadelphia often happens due to errors in procedures or protocols. For instance, a patient’s diagnostic test is mixed up with the test of another patient because of an error in internal administrative procedures. Basically, the patients’ names were mixed up. This type of mistake is actually quite common and often involves immigrants with foreign names. Other types of hospital mistakes include:
- medication mix-ups,
- hospital acquired infections, and
- emergency room mistakes.
Related: Misdiagnosis of Cancer – Lab Test Mistakes
Why Hospital Malpractice Lawsuits in Philadelphia are Tough
Hospital malpractice lawsuits in Pennsylvania are tough for two reasons. First, Pennsylvania law requires a special certification in any medical malpractice case, including a hospital malpractice case. The special certification, called a certificate of merit, must be filed by a medical expert. The costs to obtain these certificates are quite high. Oftentimes, hospital malpractice cases require more than one expert. This is exacerbated by the fact that doctors and other medical professionals tend to protect each other. Finding the right medical expert can be challenging. Only experienced lawyers can identify the right medical expert and ask the right questions to determine whether there is a valid case.
Second, hospital malpractice lawsuits are tough because of the lengths to which hospitals go to defend these cases. This is especially true for reputable hospitals in Philadelphia. Hospitals operate like big businesses, oftentimes with one thing in mind – profits. Going up against a large hospital is similar to going up against a large business or corporation. A patient who has a valid malpractice case files a lawsuit which the hospital defends with a team of lawyers. Prosecuting a valid hospital malpractice lawsuit in Philadelphia is like David going up against Goliath.
Despite these challenges, patients with valid malpractice cases against hospitals in the Philadelphia area must not shy away from asserting their legal rights. Medical professionals, like legal professionals, have malpractice insurance for a reason. It’s called the practice of medicine because it’s a given that mistakes will be made. In some instances, when mistakes result in grave harm, patients can receive fair and financial compensation for financial losses and pain and suffering.
More: Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Law Update (Feb. 2014) – A Doctor’s Admission of Fault
Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyers. Free Consultations
To submit your case for review by our Pennsylvania and New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers, call Click To Call. Our lawyers are available for a free, no obligation legal consultation, and can obtain special admission in other states, such as New York or Delaware, on a case by case basis.
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