When something goes wrong in any hospital, it becomes important for the victim or their surviving family members to understand their right to pursue a claim for medical malpractice in Philadelphia.
If you or someone you love was harmed by the care you received in a hospital and wishes to file a claim, you need experienced legal assistance on your side. Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. is here to help. Our Philadelphia hospital malpractice lawyers have successfully pursued claims against major hospitals throughout the area, and we can bring our legal experience to your case.
To find out more about how we can help you, give us a call at (610) 825-0500 to schedule a free consultation.
What is Hospital Malpractice?
Hospital malpractice refers to medical negligence that occurs within a hospital setting. Medical practitioners and administrators working in the hospital can be held liable for their actions, and the hospital itself may also be responsible for damages.
Hospital negligence occurs when a care provider fails to meet the professional standard of care or when the hospital administrators and leaders fail to uphold their obligations to ensure the reasonable safety of patients.
Patients can file a civil lawsuit for hospital malpractice and may be entitled to compensation for their losses if they can prove:
- The hospital or an employee of the hospital owed them a duty of care. For example, hospital leaders must have responsible hiring practices and responsible hygiene practices in place, while care providers in hospitals must provide a professional level of service to patients.
- The hospital or the employees were negligent. Doctors and other medical care providers are held to a professional standard of care. Their actions or inactions are compared to what hypothetical reasonable professionals with similar training would have done under the circumstances.
- The negligence was the direct cause of harm. The failure to fulfill a duty of care must have caused damage to the victim.
- The victim has damages that they can be compensated for. The failure must have caused actual damages for which the victim should be compensated.
A plaintiff needs to prove these elements of hospital malpractice to recover damages from the facility, and at Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., our Philadelphia ER malpractice attorney can help victims do just that.
Examples of Hospital Malpractice
Hospital malpractice can take many forms, as it can occur any time the facility or staff members fall short of fulfilling their professional obligations. Some common examples of hospital malpractice include:
- Anesthesia errors
- Surgical mistakes, including operating on the wrong patient or the wrong body part, or leaving an instrument in a patient
- Failure to provide professional treatment
- Medication mistakes
- Misdiagnosis
- Birth injuries
- Failure to order appropriate medical testing
- Inadequate aftercare
- Hospital infections due to failure to follow sanitary guidelines
- Premature discharge
- Failure to obtain informed consent
In these and other situations, the hospital or care providers fall short of fulfilling their obligations, and the consequences can be dire.
Victims will need to show the ways in which the provider or hospital fell short. At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., our anesthesia error lawyer in Philadelphia can provide help in gathering evidence and in finding expert witnesses who can testify as to what went wrong.
Let Our Philadelphia Hospital Malpractice Lawyers Help You Today
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we have recovered many substantial verdicts from hospitals throughout the state of Pennsylvania that were responsible for patients being harmed. Our Philadelphia hospital malpractice lawyers can put this legal experience to work to fight for you.
Give us a call or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation and find out more about the ways in which we can help you negotiate a settlement or pursue justice in court so you can get the money you deserve.