At SMT Legal, our Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyers see many people and children who have been victims of medical negligence and medical mistakes. Our Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers are compassionate, aggressive, and experienced in winning medical malpractice claims for our clients. There is no cost to speak with our experienced medical malpractice attorneys who are committed to helping victims and their family members find answers and cope with their struggles.
The trust that patients put into medical professionals to care for their wellbeing and their loved ones’ wellbeing should never be compromised. But when it is, there are legal actions that can be taken to ensure that those who are not doing their jobs properly are held accountable.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is when a healthcare professional such as a doctor, nurse, or other medical staff member causes injury or harm to their patient due to negligence in their performance of duties. This can include misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, surgical errors, and medication errors among others. These mistakes can have life-altering consequences for patients.
Types of Medical Malpractice
- Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and failure to Diagnose
- Surgical Errors and Botched Surgeries
- Emergency Room Errors (including Failure to Admit)
- Anesthesia errors
- Birth Injuries
- Burn Injuries
- Brain Injuries
- Cerebral Palsy
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Disabilities such as Paralysis
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Hospital Negligence
- Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse
- Strokes
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Infections
- Pharmaceutical Injuries
- Faulty Medical Devices
- Medication Errors (Overdosing and Wrong Prescriptions)
- Cancer
- Anesthesia Mistakes
- Gross Negligence / Negligent Care
- Wrongful Death
Medical Malpractice Claims in Pennsylvania
Medical malpractice claims involving serious injuries are complex. This means you need to have competent and experienced lawyers on your side. Our team of experienced and skilled attorneys has years of experience handling complicated medical malpractice cases. View our case results and verdicts.
When consulting with our Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyers, you will get a full and thorough evaluation of your case. Our firm understands the necessity of meticulous review when evaluating medical malpractice cases. In our pursuit for justice, we often enlist the aid of medical experts to scrutinize your medical records thoroughly. These healthcare professionals possess the knowledge and experience needed to identify deviations from the standard of care. Their insights can play a pivotal role in strengthening your claim and maximizing the compensation you receive.
Our attorneys will also determine all the types of damages that may be available in your case as well as the total value of the recoverable damages. Generally, there can be two types of damages in a medical malpractice case, economic and non-economic:
- Economic damages: which compensate the victim for verifiable financial losses such as medical expenses, such as medical bills and ongoing medical treatment, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, the cost of nursing care, rehabilitation, and other quantifiable cost related to an identifiable source or asset.
- Non-economic damages: which relate to unquantifiable costs from an identifiable source. For example, pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of companionship, mental anguish, and other non-tangible damages are considered non-economic damages.
Unlike other states, Pennsylvania does not limit either economic or non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.
However, there are very specific limits on awards relating to “punitive damages,” which are the third category of damages imposed to punish a negligent, reckless, or careless doctor for particularly outrageous or dangerous behavior, according to all Law.
In Pennsylvania, a victim of medical malpractice has two years to file a medical malpractice claim, while this two-year countdown begins on the date the patient discovered or reasonably should have discovered the injury. There are two exceptions to the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in Pennsylvania:
- The “fraudulent concealment” exception, which may apply if the negligent, reckless, or careless healthcare provider fraudulently concealed the fact of injury; and
- The “victim is a minor” exception, which may apply if the victim was a minor when the act of medical malpractice occurred. In that case, the two-year countdown begins on the date the victim turned 18.
Our medical malpractice attorneys are here to answer your questions and provide advice about which options may be available in order for you to try to make a recovery for your pain and suffering or other damages.
Seeking Justice for Medical Malpractice Victims
Depending on the circumstances of your case, multiple parties can be named as liable parties in a medical malpractice claim. Under Pennsylvania medical malpractice law, any medical specialist or entity whose negligence or wrongful conduct caused or contributed to a patient’s injury can be held accountable. The list of medical professionals and healthcare providers who can be sued in a medical malpractice lawsuit includes but is not limited to:
- Doctors
- Physicians
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- Physician assistants
- Gynecologists
- Cardiologists
- Neurologists
- Pharmacists
- Hospital staff
- Anesthesiologists
- Manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and sellers of medical equipment and tools
- Medical transport teams
- ER personnels
Contact Our Pittsburgh Medical Malpractice Attorneys Today and Setup Your Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has suffered due to medical malpractice, it can be overwhelming and confusing, and you may be unsure of your next steps. Our personal injury law firm is here to guide you through the legal process, offering support and advice tailored to your unique circumstances. During your free case evaluation, we’ll take the time to understand your case.
We strongly believe that no one should bear the burden of a medical professional’s negligence. Through our legal expertise, we aim to ensure the responsible parties are held accountable for their actions.
All consultations are free and we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not collect any fees unless we make a recovery for you. Our medical malpractice team proudly serves clients throughout Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, providing expert legal assistance to those affected by medical negligence.
At SMT Legal, our personal injury attorneys are aggressive and compassionate who will give your case the personal attention it deserves.