You take your children to UPMC Harrisburg when they’re hurt. The last thing you expect is to walk out of the ER with a large bill and a child hurting more than he did when he went in. Emergency room physicians and nurses are not pediatricians; UPMC Harrisburg is not a designated children’s hospital. As such, doctors may misdiagnose certain childhood conditions or use equipment and techniques not designed for children’s smaller frames.
When your children hurt, you hurt. If your child was injured due to medical neglect or general negligence at UPMC Harrisburg, you might have a legal claim against the hospital and treating providers. Confidentially discuss your child’s case with the compassionate medical malpractice lawyers at Marzella & Associates.
Most Common Hospital Medical Errors and Injuries to Children
There’s a reason doctors must specialize in treating children. Children’s immune systems are not as developed as adults’, and their bodies cannot handle the same IV lines and prescription drugs. As such, certain illnesses and injuries children might negligently sustain at hospitals include:
- Respiratory infections
- Nerve and arm damage from IV lines
- Birth injuries
- Misdiagnosis
- Prescription drug dosing errors ]
- Anesthesia errors
Additionally, emergency room doctors might misdiagnose certain potentially fatal childhood conditions, such as meningitis, if they are not fully trained to treat children. Young kids do not communicate as well as adults, so they are more commonly misdiagnosed than adult patients when they first present with severe symptoms. Dedicated medical malpractice lawyers familiar with these cases will work with pediatric medical experts to determine whether medical negligence led to your child’s injury, illness, or worsening condition.
Filing a Claim Against UPMC Harrisburg
Children injured at hospitals might have either medical negligence (medical malpractice) or general negligence claims. Medical malpractice occurs if a healthcare professional, such as a doctor, nurse, or physician’s assistant, makes a mistake that other reasonable professionals in that same situation would not have made. Examples include miscalculating the dosage of certain medications or missing the vein when inserting an IV. In such cases, Pennsylvania law might allow you to sue the healthcare provider, his or her employer, and the treating medical facility.
In some cases, children are injured in hospitals for reasons other than medical neglect. Examples include a child slipping and falling on bodily fluids in the ER and breaking her wrist or a child being knocked over by a patient in distress. These injuries involve negligence (premises liability) claims against the hospital, not medical malpractice claims against the provider. An experienced childhood injury lawyer might help you obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and any future anticipated damages, regardless of the negligence involved.
Retain a Local Lawyer to Discuss Obtaining Damages from UPMC Harrisburg
Children injured due to negligence at UPMC Harrisburg have the same legal rights as adults to demand fair compensation for their pain and suffering. If your child was the victim of medical malpractice or general negligence at the hospital, contact a local medical malpractice lawyer at Marzella & Associates. Our dedicated hospital injury attorneys are familiar with handling cases on behalf of minors and filing claims with UPMC Harrisburg’s insurance providers. Schedule a free and confidential consultation today by calling (717) 678-7966 or contacting us online.