Losing a loved one due to hospital negligence is one of the most painful experiences a family can endure. In Pennsylvania, you may have the right to bring a wrongful death lawsuit if medical errors, poor monitoring, or systemic failures in a hospital directly caused your loved one’s death. These claims are about more than pointing fingers. They seek to hold institutions accountable, demand safer practices, and give families like yours the financial support they need to move on.
At Marzella & Associates, our Harrisburg wrongful death attorneys can guide you through the process, protect your legal rights, and ensure the hospital does not escape responsibility for their negligent actions.
What Exactly is Hospital Negligence?
Wrongful death claims in healthcare typically arise when a hospital’s staff or systems fail to meet accepted standards of care. Common examples include:
- Medication errors, such as giving the wrong dosage or drug.
- Failing to monitor patients who are critically ill.
- Surgical errors include leaving surgical tools inside the body or operating on the wrong body part.
- Delays in diagnosis or treatment that worsen the condition.
It’s important to note that not all tragic hospital outcomes qualify as wrongful death under the law. You must prove negligence, meaning that the hospital’s failure to meet professional standards directly caused your loved one’s untimely demise. This distinction is immensely vital because the hospital will argue that a patient’s condition, not their mistake, was the real cause.
If your spouse died from an undiagnosed infection, for instance, the hospital might claim it was inevitable, when in reality, timely treatment could have prevented it. Distinguishing between unavoidable medical complications and preventable negligence is at the core of these cases. A Harrisburg wrongful death lawyer can help you gather medical evidence, expert opinions, and records to demonstrate that the hospital’s actions, or lack thereof, made the difference.
Why Working with a Wrongful Death Attorney is Crucial
Unfortunately, medical errors contribute to more than 250,000 deaths in the U.S. every year, ranking among the nation’s leading causes of death. Hospitals rarely admit to mistakes. The impact on families, however, is undeniable.
Hospitals and their insurers fight hard to avoid responsibility, relying on teams of lawyers and insurance adjusters to minimize payouts. Facing them alone can feel impossible. A Harrisburg wrongful death lawyer will represent your best interests and provide the resources and strategy to challenge these powerful institutions head-on. They can:
- Collect and review medical records for signs of negligence
- Work with medical experts to explain what proper care should have looked like
- Question hospital staff under oath to uncover mistakes that might otherwise remain hidden
- Recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses, bills related to your loved one’s final illness or injury, lost income, and benefits they would’ve provided
- Loss of companionship, guidance, and household support, among others
- Negotiate with insurers from a position of strength or take your case to trial
Your story matters, and a seasoned Harrisburg wrongful death lawyer will fight to ensure it is heard in court and taken seriously by those responsible.
Talk to Our Wrongful Death Lawyers in Harrisburg Now
We know that securing compensation won’t bring back your loved one, but it can help stabilize your family’s future and hold the negligent hospital accountable. Schedule your complimentary consultation with our Harrisburg wrongful death attorneys at Marzella & Associates by calling 717-876-8681 or reaching us online.