Shollenberger Januzzi & Wolfe, LLP

Medical Malpractice

3 reasons medication mistakes occur in modern hospitals

The medication that you receive while in the hospital may be the cornerstone of the treatment that you undergo or may serve to keep you comfortable enough to continue receiving necessary medical care. In both cases, proper administration of your medication will be crucial both to ensure the efficacy of...

What every patient should know about medical misdiagnosis

When you are ill and need medical help, you expect your physician to figure out what is wrong with you. You hope your visit will result in getting the medication or treatment you need and you will be feeling better soon. But unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Doctors at times...

What if my doctor makes a surgical error?

If you have an upcoming surgery scheduled, you probably have been a bit fearful about it. You know every surgery comes with risks. Even routine procedures sometimes come with complications. But what if something worse happens? What if your doctor makes a critical surgical error? Surgical errors At least 4,000...

Surgical errors are frightfully common among patients

The average American undergoes around nine surgical procedures in their lifetime, varying from the most basic surgeries to the most complex medical procedures. And each time they go under the knife, they are at risk for major consequences. According to a study from Coverys, surgery is the second most common...

The severe consequences behind misdiagnosing diabetes

Many medical researchers notice a dangerous pattern among patients where more than one-third of adults over 30 are incorrectly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes while they actually display symptoms of type 1 diabetes. A study released in April 2019 revealed that older patients displayed the same symptoms occurring in younger,...

Common signals that your medication is wrong

Most Pennsylvanian residents know the importance of proper medical care, especially in today’s current climate. However, mistakes happen, and it has detrimental effects on patients. It is particularly stressful when it comes to medication errors. One wrong dose or pill will have significant health ramifications, so it’s critical to know...

Signs of misdiagnosis for patients

Most patients rely on their doctors when it comes to diagnosis and treatments, as they should. Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals train for years to be experts in their field, and they often rely on minimal information to come to an official plan. However, medical staff members are just...

Are remote appointments replacing physical exams?

Before 2020 created new problems across the world, most people would regularly visit their doctors each year for a physical examination. It was always straightforward and routine for a majority of patients. However, 2020 is changing the routine. Many patients now rely on telemedicine as their primary source for treatments...

Differences between an at-home and at-hospital birth

Most mothers-to-be consider every option for their births. They want to ensure that they don’t assume anything and chose the right environment for them and their children. However, there are significant differences between home births and births in hospitals. Births at home Home births encapsulate any births that do not...

How common is misdiagnosis?

Most patients rely on doctors or medical professionals to know what is wrong with them and how to treat it. That’s why patients visit the hospital and try to avoid self-diagnosis. However, there is still a small risk that you receive a diagnosis for your ailment. But how common is...

Four common mistakes associated with medication errors

Healthcare professionals are an essential part of any society. They are the people who sacrifice their time and spend most of their careers helping thousands of people every year. However, they are still people who can make mistakes. Those mistakes lead to significant problems for hospitals and patients as they...

Ways to help the birth process

First-time mothers may feel overwhelmed by the delivery process because most people paint labor as one of the most painful experiences your body goes through. You must mentally and physically prepare to give birth, and it only falls on your shoulders. Luckily, there are ways to help new moms get...

Could social media hinder patients’ trust?

It seems like there is always a new social media platform popping up. It started with MySpace, and then popularity grew in apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, the newest app may be causing complications for medical personnel across the nation. The newest app, TikTok, relates the most...

How to return home from the hospital stronger than before

People visit the hospital to feel better, whether they are experiencing a common cold, a severe injury or life-threatening illness. However, there are some circumstances where patients leave the hospital in worse shape than they came in. Unfortunately, hospitals are not the optimal environment to recover in, according to Consumer...

Six reasons for infant injuries during birth

Birth is one of the most beautiful and challenging experiences that a mother goes through. You are bringing life into the world and starting a new phase in your future. But unfortunately, the delivery process is more difficult for some mothers. Some parents have to deal with birth injuries after...

Radiology may lead to mistakes during diagnosis

Diagnosis is the first and most critical step in the treatment process because doctors need to know what a patient has to treat them properly. Most doctors rely on different testing to assure the correct diagnosis for their patients. Most physicians rely on radiologists, doctors who read diagnostics films from...

Nurses are at risk for sleep deprivation and sleep disorders

Sleep is an essential component of our health. Every doctor or healthcare professional recommends adults and children receive an adequate amount of sleep to support mental functions and our physical bodies. But there is an irony to nurses who recommend sleep to their patients according to a recent study. The...

How Do I Know if My Injury Resulted From My Doctor’s Negligence?

As with any negligence claim, a medical malpractice allegation requires the plaintiff to establish the applicable standard of care, or duty. What distinguishes medical malpractice litigation from other personal injury lawsuits is that this standard is typically established through expert testimony. When Should I Consult with An Attorney? There is...

Are virtual doctor’s visits good for your child?

Smartphones can make parenting much more convenient. You no longer have to remember the way to every friend’s house, you can set reminders for when to pick your children up from activities and you can easily talk to your child when they are away with a simple text. Getting help...

Are anesthesia mistakes a common problem in hospitals?

Any time you enter a hospital to undergo a procedure, there are risks involved. It is safe to say that most Pennsylvania residents are aware of some of these risks. However, the dangers associated with anesthesia errors often go overlooked. A big part of informing patients about their medical procedures...

Netflix documentary shed lights on defective medical devices

It’s not exactly binge-watching material, but next time you’re browsing through Netflix, you might come across “The Bleeding Edge.” The recently added documentary dives into the dark side of the medical industry. It explores loopholes companies apparently pass through when gaining FDA approval. Multiple women take the spotlight, sharing horrific...

When doctors get it wrong (Part 3): Brain-eating amoebas

Living in America, we take it for granted that dreadful parasites like bot flies or malaria inhabit our lands. However, one particularly gruesome parasite does live here. And it’s quite common in freshwater streams, lakes and even tap water. A few weeks ago, in part 2 of this series, we...

When doctors get it wrong (Part 2): Flesh-eating bacteria

It sounds like a nightmare: After vacationing in Florida, a 50-year-old Indiana woman develops a small pimple-like bump. It continues to grow and becomes more and more painful. Left untreated, it eventually develops into a full-blown skin infection, claiming the woman’s life. The cause? Necrotizing fasciitis – a flesh-eating bacterial...

Medical malpractice and painkiller prescriptions

The growing number of lawsuits generated by the opioid epidemic are clear evidence that the problem is out of control. Recently, a number of these lawsuits have included prominent pain doctors. These doctors helped expand the use of addictive opioids in the treatment of pain. In some cases, they profited...

How ER pharmacists can help reduce medication errors

Medication errors are among the most prevalent types of medical malpractice. Wrong dosages, mistaken prescriptions, overlooked drug interactions or missed contraindications – all can lead to serious harm. And these mistakes frequently happen in emergency rooms and hospitals, where staff members are stretched thin. A recent study has shed light...

Balancing the risks and benefits of VBAC

Childbirth is a momentous life event. But it can also be a life-threatening one. Complications at any point during labor or delivery can have a big impact on both mother and baby for a long time to come. Recognizing these risks, many hospitals and OB-GYNs are reluctant to allow VBAC...

Contagious health care professionals

Whether it is the start of the school year or dropping temperatures, this time of year sees an uptick in contagious illnesses like the flu. Depending on the workplace, employees may be encouraged to stay home or expected to show up no matter what. Few workplaces understand the drawbacks of...

Picking the safest hospital

Until recently, patients looking for medical care had little reason to choose one hospital over another. Distance was likely the number one factor in deciding where to go for care. The medical field is not well known for sharing information about its safety record or results. New and better information...

Doctors play a role in reducing opioid addiction

Opioid addiction is a rampant problem nationwide. More than two million people are addicted to these powerful painkillers, and more than 25,000 people die from overdoses each year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It’s a major public health issue with complex ramifications. How these addictions...

Cerebral palsy: Making sense of a devastating diagnosis

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy is devastating for parents and children alike. It can mean a lifetime of intensive medical care and therapy. It can mean day-to-day struggles with basic mobility and cognitive development. It can even mean long-term residence in a professional care facility. Whether you’ve had lingering suspicions...

Labor and delivery complications: What can go wrong

Childbirth is one of life’s most exciting milestones. Of course, it’s also a major medical event. Even with normal pregnancies, complications can arise at any time during labor and delivery, requiring swift intervention to protect both mother and baby. Obstetrics has one of the highest rates of malpractice among all...

What contributes to medical mistakes?

Our system of medical care isn’t perfect. Yet that’s no excuse for the untold medical errors that harm innocent patients every year. In fact, according to researchers at John Hopkins, medical malpractice is surpassed only by heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of death among Americans. It’s clear...

Three of the most common medical mistakes in hospitals

Hospital patients are often at their most vulnerable. Their fragile health may be tottering on the brink of life and death. Yet these same patients are also some of the most frequent victims of medical errors. The very institution designed to heal them instead ends up mistreating them – in...

Looking at the medical board complaint process, P.2

In our last post, we looked briefly at the complaint process overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of State for medical board discipline of physicians. We briefly mentioned the various aspects of the complaint itself, which include basic information about the parties involved, the facts, witnesses, and any available related documents....

Looking at the medical board complaint process, P.1

In recent posts, we’ve mentioned the physician discipline process as something that can be taken advantage of by patients who have been harmed by a negligent provider but who are unable to pursue medical malpractice litigation. As we noted, an attorney is not needed to file a complaint, but it...

Study looks at variations in disciplinary action taken by state medical boards

According to a recent study from the University of Michigan, there is significant variation in how state medical boards regulate physicians. Differences in things like reporting procedures, disciplinary methods and standards for determining appropriate discipline all make a difference–sometimes significant–in how physicians accused of misconduct are handled. The study looked,...

Looking at the issue of telemedicine and medical malpractice, P.2

In our previous post, we began discussing both the importance and the risks associated with the increasing practice of telemedicine. While telemedicine holds the promise of increasing health care access for rural communities, there is also the risk of error associated with the practice of telemedicine itself. The fact that...

Among the risks of childbirth, postpartum hemorrhage, P.2

In our last post, we began speaking about postpartum hemorrhage and the duty doctors have to address pregnant women’s risks in this area. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in addressing this issue and others like it, has found that working to improve communication between hospital staff can do...

Among the risks of childbirth, postpartum hemorrhage, P.1

Although childbirth is a natural process, it can be fraught with risks, particularly for women with special medical conditions and complications. Among the risks physicians and nurses have to be on the lookout for is excessive blood loss, or postpartum hemorrhage, which is actually a leading cause of death for...

Man paralyzed by anesthesia error awarded $9.2 million

Anesthesia lets surgical patients endure invasive procedures without feeling pain or discomfort during the procedure. But these powerful drugs must be administered and monitored closely, or they can seriously harm the patient. This example did not take place in Pennsylvania, but give an idea of the consequences of negligent anesthesiology...

Can I hold my naturopathic doctor accountable for malpractice?

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which includes a wide variety of disciplines such as naturopathy, homeopathy, and osteopathy, is fairly well-established at this point in the United States. CAM has even earned some recognition from mainstream or “allopathic” medicine. According to the Mayo Clinic, almost 40 percent of adults report...

Could your next surgery be recorded?

There are a number of protocols that hospitals use to reduce the risk of surgical tools being left in patients after a procedure, or being misplaced before or after a surgery. Essentially, some tools are bar-coded so that they can be electronically accounted for. With the increased use of technology...

More sanitation robots being seen in hospitals

In hospitals, cleanliness is a top priority. Not only is it important in maintaining a hospital’s reputation, the eradication of germs is crucial in maintaining patient safety. According to several media reports, more than 1 million infections are reported each year inside of hospitals. Also infections are the primary cause...

Common defenses to your medical malpractice claim

When interviewing firms to take on your medical malpractice case, there is more to just the number of cases, the firm has won (or is taking on), it is the ability to anticipate a doctor’s (or a hospital’s) defenses and being able to defeat them in order to vindicate you....

How certain conditions can be misdiagnosed

When people think about medical malpractice, it is common for the gaffes that garner national headlines to come to mind. After all, it is hard to believe that a surgical team can leave tools inside the patient, or that a procedure could be performed on the wrong side of the...

Majority of surgical error claims based on faulty equipment

When we think of medical malpractice, we commonly think about the doctor who botches a diagnosis or the surgeon who leaves gauze or other pieces in the patient after the procedure is complete. However, we may not think about the equipment itself being the culprit in a malpractice action. After...

New test could distinguish bacterial from viral infections

Innovation is one of the things in medicine that everyone roots for. So when new discoveries are found to make things easier or to ensure patient safety, it is worth reporting. A new test has been developed that can help doctors differentiate between bacterial and viral infections. The test is...

Parents of teen deemed brain dead after surgery sue hospital

Having a child injured during what is supposed to be a low risk surgery is a parent’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately the nightmare became true for the parents of a California teen who was undergoing surgery for sleep apnea. The child experienced complications during surgery where her heart apparently stopped beating....

Can a surgical mask protect patients from disease

One of the most common things in a hospital setting has to be the surgical mask. They may be almost as universal as standard hospital scrubs. Masks are used to protect against the transmission of harmful germs that can contribute to disease. During the height of flu season and during...

Different brain injuries should be treated differently

Injuries in car accidents can have life-altering consequences. The same can be said with falls and sports injuries. This is especially apparent when it comes to head injuries, and we have written several posts on how people with head injuries could have tough roads to recovery. However, just like not...

What defendants may argue in medical malpractice cases

Medical malpractice cases are not easy cases to bring. In addition to the complexity and costs that come with seeking malpractice damages, there may be some elements to the case that do not favor the client. These include the lack of money a law firm may have to bring the...

Girls more apt to suffer behavioral problems after concussions

Much has been said about the dangers of concussions in football, particularly in high school where in the past, many students suffered concussions but were not diagnosed. As research about concussions has progressed, it has come to light that girls playing sports are just as susceptible to suffering traumatic brain...

Taking ‘time out’ prevents wrong site surgeries

Have you heard of National Time Out Day? For about 10 years now, on June 11, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals have observed National Time Out Day to raise awareness around correct surgical procedure. And if you look at national statistics, then you’ll realize that more awareness in this...

Could medical errors one day be a thing of the past?

In many cases, diagnosing the correct illness of people in Pennsylvania can be tricky for doctors. This is, of course, a critical task; a delay in diagnosis, or an incorrect one altogether, could be a critical or fatal medical error. Depending on the illness, timing can be crucial. The sooner...

U.S. misdiagnosis rate will almost certainly shock you

Researchers have determined just how many Americans are misdiagnosed in outpatient settings on an annual basis and their conclusions will almost certainly shock you. In addition to individuals who are affected by diagnosis errors while hospitalized, approximately 12 million adults are misdiagnosed in outpatient settings every year. Put another way,...

Hard to say how many affected by drug-addicted medical workers

Pennsylvania residents expect that when they require medical treatment, they will be treated by doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals who have their well-being in mind. Unfortunately, and likely more often than anyone realizes, this is not always the case. Nobody expects health care workers to be perfect — either...

Elderly patient was wrongly diagnosed as dead

It is the stuff that nightmares or Edgar Allan Poe stories are made of: a person wakes up inside of a body bag. How could someone, who is not dead, end up in a body bag in this day and age? That is a grave question that the national public...

Doctor-to-be let down by other Pennsylvania doctors

She was not far from becoming a pediatrician when her dreams and potential to help others fell victim to the kind of negligence she was trained to avoid. A 26-year-old medical school graduate went to a Pennsylvania facility because she suffered from an ongoing headache. Her condition worsened, and the...

Hope continues for family of child declared ‘dead’ after surgery

In a recent post we shared how a young girl underwent surgery for her tonsils but suffered major complications following the hospital procedure. Those complications have left the child, 13, in a condition that medical professionals, lawyers, family and other critics are passionately debating. The basic matter of controversy is...

Family mourns loss after child’s surgery takes tragic turn

Many people might think that getting one’s tonsils removed sounds like a simple, routine surgery. That doesn’t mean that the procedure never goes wrong or endangers a person’s life. An out-of-state family has learned in the most tragic way possible that even a tonsils surgery can be deadly. CNN reports...

Pennsylvania court holds the line on medical malpractice verdict

Nobody wants to go through the experience of being hospitalized for a serious medical condition. However, patients might feel comforted by the knowledge that medical staff is on hand to provide care as needed. The unfortunate reality is that medical institutions don’t always provide the level of care people come...

Your hospital might have some dangerous secrets, part 2

Our previous post this week began a list of some of the dangers that can threaten patients’ safety. We mentioned how the ratio of nurses to patients can make a difference in patient health. We also shared how not all medical workers are the experienced, qualified doctors that all would...

Most commonly missed illnesses are serious conditions

Researchers looked at reports of malpractice claims at an international level. The study confirmed what other studies have found in the past. The majority of medical malpractice incidents are not extreme surgical errors; rather, most doctor errors are diagnosis errors. The international study gets more specific by identifying the conditions...

Family challenges use of robot as medical malpractice

The dependence on technology reaches into just about every aspect of life. People tend to put a lot of faith in machines, as though they are infallible. But technology comes with glitches, and a family in an out-of-state case believes that the untimely loss of their loved one is partly...

Misdiagnosis can allow cancer to worsen and shorten lives

Patients and society in general are seemingly starting to question the quality of their medical treatment more these days. They might seek second or third opinions. Maybe they will do a thorough examination of their doctor’s background. The threat of medical mistakes and the toll that they can take on...

Hospitals paid more for patients who suffer surgical errors

Having to put trust in other individuals – particularly when it relates to your health – can be an unnerving and challenging proposition. Unfortunately, in some cases, especially when serious medical intervention is necessary, there may be no other choice. For people who must undergo a surgical operation, a recent...

Could closed medical malpractice cases prevent more malpractice?

Learning from our mistakes is sometimes easier said than done. A medical malpractice lawyer out of another state wants all health professionals to learn from other medical professionals’ mistakes. Is it doable? It seems like an obvious solution. If hospitals want to avoid cases of negligence on their floors, they...

Are shorter hospital shifts safer shifts? Part 2

The previous post began a discussion about how the change in shift durations has impacted patient safety. Though the goal behind requiring medical residents to work shorter shifts was to reduce incidents of hospital errors, research suggests that no such improvement has taken place. According to a study published in...

Are shorter hospital shifts safer shifts? Part 1

If you had more hours outside of work, what would you do with them? Schedule changes for medical interns have been made various times in the past, with the hope being that the residents would rest while outside of hospital walls. Shorter shifts would mean more rest and less fatigue...

Simple tips enhance hospital patient safety, prevent malpractice

Going into the hospital can be a frightening experience. Many Pennsylvania residents have heard horror stories about patients who developed additional illnesses or infections while hospitalized, or were the victims of medical malpractice. There are things patients and their families can do to avoid medical errors and missteps in hospitals,...

Mistakes in electronic health records endanger patients

With more and more hospitals and other medical providers switching over to the use of electronic health records, more mistakes and missing data are being reported. Some mistakes in these records can cause serious problems for patients and result in medical malpractice. In Pennsylvania alone, there were twice as many...

Distractions cause inexperienced doctors to make surgical errors

Inexperienced doctors performing surgery can all too easily become distracted by a variety of things, resulting in dangerous and even deadly errors. A new study found that such distractions included questions, noises and a variety of other commonplace occurrences. Medical malpractice in the form of significant surgical errors occurred among...

Medical mistakes kill 250,000 annually, injure millions

Most patients put themselves in the care of doctors and hospitals trusting that their health and well-being will be carefully monitored. In too many instances, this is not the case. Medical mistakes are far more common than many people believe. Such errors rising to the level of medical malpractice wind...

High court: Not all doctor-patient affairs medical malpractice

Most people would agree that a doctor who has a sexual relationship with a patient is engaging in some extremely unethical behavior. But does that behavior justify a medical malpractice suit? Not necessarily, according to a recent ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. While psychiatrists and other mental health professionals...

Medical malpractice alleged after expectant mother dies

A Pennsylvania family claims medical staffers from Temple University Hospital are guilty of negligence that resulted in the death of a woman who was nine months pregnant. The medical malpractice allegations stem from an incident that began when the family found the mother-to-be barely breathing at the bottom of a...

Hospital technician may have exposed many patients to hepatitis

A newly hired radiology technician at a Pennsylvania hospital was accused in 2008 of stealing an addictive painkiller in a syringe from hospital premises, taking the syringe right out of an operating room. Subsequently, an investigation and drug test found him in possession of a number of other such syringes,...

More health services could mean more medical malpractice cases

As more medical facilities and health services become available in smaller Pennsylvania communities, more residents have access to care for which they once had to travel a considerable distance. Local medical care means that people can keep themselves healthier while staying close to home. But there is some speculation that...

Misused surgical device can be lethal for kidney donors

Relatives and other properly matched donors are able to make a sacrifice of one of their own kidneys to save the life of someone suffering from kidney disease. Most of the time the willingness to help the recipient of the kidney overrides any worries about the transplant surgery, or medical...

Photos in patient files could reduce medical malpractice

Most people don’t like going to the hospital, but if you or a family member needs treatment, you probably want the most personal care possible. You may even assume doctors and nurses will remember your name, your face and your symptoms. But hospitals are chaotic places and even the best...

Pennsylvania mom wins $78.5M malpractice suit for birth injury

We’re hearing more and more these days about the rising cost of health care in the United States. These costs include not only payments for insurance and medical treatment patients receive, but the expenses hospitals and clinics incur for purchasing and maintaining the highest-quality equipment. In return, patients and their...

Lawsuit claims reversal of sedation killed Pennsylvania man

A wrongful-death and medical malpractice lawsuit claims that Pennsylvania State Police troopers conspired with a doctor and a nurse to reverse a man’s sedation for the purpose of making him available to be arraigned in court. These actions, which the man’s father claims had no beneficial medical purpose, had tragic...

Pennsylvania doctor loses appeal of medical malpractice suit

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has denied the appeal of a doctor hit with one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts ever recorded in northeast Pennsylvania. The doctor and the medical center where he worked have been ordered to pay $20.5 million to a couple whose son suffered permanent medical problems...

Study reveals doctors not completely honest with patients

Do you ever wonder if your doctor is being completely honest with you? A recent survey of physicians suggests that many doctors do lie to their patients. Roughly 20 percent of doctors polled admitted they failed to disclose information to a patient for fear of being sued, and about 11...

Lack of communication leads to more malpractice suits

Have you ever gone to the doctor and then waited anxiously for the results of a lab test to return? Perhaps you waited for a call from your physician and, not hearing the phone ring, assumed that no news was good news. Such an assumption can be dangerous, according to...

Special medical malpractice courts may ease case backlog

In many states, the backlog of medical malpractice lawsuits awaiting resolution is staggering. Such cases are also often complex, requiring an understanding of difficult technical and scientific information. But is Pennsylvania looking for new ways to reduce medical malpractice claims throughout the state? Another state has taken a new approach...

Patient injured in both colonoscopy and follow up surgery

Doctors and other medical professionals are supposed to help patients get better. But what happens when a doctor’s mistake actually worsens the patient’s condition? Shouldn’t medical professionals be held responsible for negligent mistakes? Just recently, two physicians were found negligent in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought against them. Two procedures,...

Couple sues Pennsylvania hospital for infected kidney transplant

When a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional makes a mistake, a patient can be affected in many different ways. The mistake can lead to worsened or even life-threatening health conditions, impacting an individual on physical, emotional, and financial levels. Non-medical professionals typically rely on the medical expertise of their...

Pennsylvania organization looks at hospital alarm monitor errors

Hospitals attempt to avoid medical malpractice suits every day. But the reality is that in some instances patients suffer injury or worsened medical conditions because of hospital staff negligence. Recent data offered by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority takes a closer look at one particular type of hospital error, associated...

Medical malpractice case ends with multi-million dollar award

For one man, driving from his home in a neighboring state into Pennsylvania every weekend has become a part of his routine. He brings his wife to a rehabilitation center where she receives treatment and therapy after suffering permanent brain damage at the hands of negligent hospital staff. Five years...

Man wins medical malpractice suit against hospital

When medical professionals make a mistake or are negligent in care, the consequences can impact a patient for the rest of his or her life. In some instances, patients can no longer take care of themselves and instead must rely on a loved one or medical professional for their everyday...

Pennsylvania doctors seeing fewer medical malpractice claims

Patients put their lives in the hands of physicians, expecting that a certain level of care will be provided as they receive treatment and recover from their injury or illness. But when a health care professional or hospital is negligent, the potential impact on a patient’s life can be permanent....

Is it medical malpractice to operate on the wrong eye?

When a doctor, nurse or other medical staff member makes a mistake on a patient, the resulting injuries can be serious. Some surgical errors can be fixed by additional medical procedures. But in some cases the extent of the damage from the mistake are not immediately clear. Recently, the story...

Two Pennsylvania cardiologists face medical malpractice lawsuit

Imagine going to the hospital for an already stressful and potentially life-threatening medical issue. Now imagine that the doctor who handles your case tells you that you needed a certain procedure, without informing you of the potential risks and dangers of the procedure. Most patients trust that their doctors are...

Study looks at causes and rates of drug prescription mistakes

Recently the results of a national study on prescription error rates were released. The researchers focused on over 700,000 painkiller prescriptions that were all in one database. The database keeps track of prescription errors that pharmacists catch and prevent. Though the purpose of the study was not mentioned in the...

Concerns Raised Over the Validity of Spine Fusion Surgery

In Pennsylvania, if a doctor or other medical care professional is negligent in the care that is given, they may be liable for medical malpractice. In some situations, a misdiagnosis or mistake in the operating room can be costly for the patient, both physically and financially. But what is considered...

Medical Mistakes Continue, Patient Safety Remains a Concern

When someone goes to the hospital, it is usually because they are suffering from a medical condition that requires attention and care. But sometimes a patient in the hospital suffers harm at the hands of their doctor or nursing staff. Medical malpractice is becoming an increasing concern across the nation,...