Medical negligence, also called medical malpractice, is a legal cause of action applicable only to licensed medical professionals and facilities in Pennsylvania. As such, eligible claimants can sue UPMC Harrisburg for medical negligence if one of its employees fails to provide you with medical care according to professional standards.
Medical malpractice claims are harder to prove than general negligence claims because healthcare providers must make specific judgment calls during treatment. Suppose you suffered a new or worsening illness or injury due to a medical error at UPMC Harrisburg. In that case, you need help from the dedicated medical negligence lawyers at Marzella & Associates.
Common Medical Malpractice Claims Against UPMC Harrisburg
Many medical mistakes are made at hospitals because they often receive patients in their worst medical state. As such, not every medical error qualifies as medical malpractice in Pennsylvania. You must show that the treating healthcare professional – a licensed nurse, physician’s assistant, doctor, technician, or physical therapist – failed to provide the care equally qualified professionals in that same situation would have provided.
Common medical malpractice claims arising in hospitals such as UPMC Harrisburg include the following:
- Labor and Delivery Errors (Birth Injuries): Failing to reposition the umbilical cord or perform a timely C-section often results in serious birth injuries, including cerebral palsy, nerve damage, and stillbirth. Birth injuries may give rise to medical neglect claims against the hospital.
- Missed Diagnosis/Misdiagnosis: Many potentially fatal conditions, such as meningitis, heart attacks, and cancer, have similar symptoms to more benign illnesses. Doctors may mistake one condition for another or completely miss a serious diagnosis. If you were sent home from the UPMC emergency room with the wrong diagnosis (or no diagnosis) and suffered resulting harm, you may be entitled to sue the hospital.
- Surgical Errors: Most major surgeries are performed at hospitals, but these can give rise to serious medical malpractice claims. Common surgical errors include infections from dirty equipment, anesthesia miscalculations, operating on the wrong body part or patient, and leaving surgical tools in the patient.
If you suffered from a new or worsening injury or illness because of a medical error, a medical malpractice lawyer may help you demand compensation from the hospital’s professional liability insurer.
Barriers to Holding Hospitals Liable for Doctor Errors
Corporations, such as hospitals, are liable for the actions of their employees under a legal doctrine called vicarious liability. If you prove that an employee, such as a nurse, made a medical error, the hospital automatically shares liability. However, many doctors who treat patients in hospitals are not hospital employees. They are private physicians with admitting privileges at the hospital. In such cases, you must show that the hospital should not have granted admitting privileges to that doctor. An experienced Pennsylvania medical neglect lawyer can review the doctor’s file, including complaints, and interview witnesses to determine whether concerns about the provider were expressed to hospital employees.
Do Not Take on UPMC Harrisburg Alone: Contact Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers Today
If you were the victim of suspected medical malpractice at UPMC Harrisburg, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. As local medical malpractice lawyers, we have experience holding this provider accountable for medical mistakes. Call our dedicated Harrisburg attorneys at (717) 678-7966 or contact us online to schedule a free case review.