Pennsylvania’s Standard of Care
While some states may differ on medical malpractice issues, most states list similar instances, though medical malpractice is indeed medical malpractice. Every state sets a standard of care determined by how most doctors of all professionals would routinely treat the patient in the same circumstances.
Pennsylvania says that medical professionals in their specific industry must exercise and utilize the same skill level and knowledge as their peers. Doctors must update their education and keep abreast of new medical developments through continuing and ongoing education.
The standard of care in Pennsylvania says that if any medical professional violates this norm of diagnosis and treatment causing injury or death to a patient, the standard of care is not met. Negligent injury or death can occur due to a medical professional’s actions outside of the norm.
Too Many Medical Errors
Everyone from medical professionals to patients hates to admit that many malpractice lawsuit claims are filed every year. There are just as many reasons attributed to medical malpractice. Just a few of the most common medical mistakes made are listed as follows.
- Doctors make an incorrect diagnosis every year. Sometimes doctors fail to diagnose a patient correctly so that the patient can receive appropriate treatment. When an incorrect diagnosis enters into a patient’s medical history, inappropriate treatment or medication is ordered that harms the patient.
- Doctors prescribe the wrong medication or dosage.
- Doctors fail to refer to the patient’s medical history, thus mistakes easily happen during treatment.
- Surgical errors occur too frequently and are wide and varied, such as performing unnecessary surgery, operating on the wrong patient, operating on the right patient but the wrong body part.
- Sometimes surgical tools are left inside the patient by accident.
- The professional anesthesiologist’s errors in anesthesia administration caused lifelong health issues or brain damage.
- Laboratory professionals make errors in lab tests or ignore reporting the results or report incorrect results. The wrong lab orders or lab reports are recorded on the wrong patient.
- The professional staff fails to obtain the patient’s informed consent.
- Medical errors by direct care nursing staff from case managers to technicians occur too often.
- Imaging departments make too many errors that involve radiology, scans, x-rays, and other tests, such as doing the wrong test on the right patient or doing the proper test on the wrong patient.
- Respiratory therapists make a ton of errors yearly and many more.
Injuries Sustained by Medical Malpractice
There are many situations in which medical malpractice can occur. One concern is in the birthing room. When deliveries go wrong, birth injuries happen to the newborn or the mother, or both.
The one nursing department that is the busiest at caring for patients is the emergency room. Because emergency room staff are constantly under pressure and hurried, medical mistakes are at higher risk than other hospital departments.
Medical malpractice happens when medical staff mishandles or neglects patients and may show patients who sustain a concussion due to a fall or other mishap. Suppose the patient sustains head injuries or a severe brain injury. This action constitutes medical malpractice.
If a doctor misdiagnoses a patient, such as cancer or severe cardiac issue, and does not initiate the appropriate treatment, this constitutes medical malpractice.
An eye doctor is not without faults as far as medical malpractice goes. There have been claims filed against ophthalmology professionals due to many of the same issues that medical doctors come under scrutinies, such as wrong diagnosis, error in surgical interventions, and wrong medications ordered, leading to permanent visual problems or loss of vision.
Dentists are included in their share of medical malpractice by administering anesthesia incorrectly, pulling the wrong tooth, making the wrong diagnosis, and ordering incorrect treatment options due to a missed diagnosis.
There is no area of medical expertise that cannot come under fire for medical malpractice.
How do Medical Mistakes Happen?
Medical mistakes happen most frequently due to human error and negligence, such as,
- The professional is in a hurry
- Is tired
- Burned out
- Lacks experience
- Lacks necessary education
- Becomes distracted
- The failure of equipment
- Erroneous laboratory or diagnostic test results
- Wrong doctor’s diagnosis
- Poor hygiene
- Lack of or poor communication between professionals, patients, and family members
- Reckless practices, and much more. The list is endless.
Who Can be Liable for Medical Malpractice?
Any health care professional in any branch of medicine makes medical errors. Errors occur in countless medical settings in a myriad of ways.
The medical personnel who made the error are at fault and possibly any other entity tied to the error, such as, but not limited to, doctors, surgeons, lab technicians, nurses, care technicians, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, psychiatrists, pharmaceutical companies, rehabilitation facilities, and much more such as,
- The company, the medical person, works
- A product manufacturer of medical devices that a professional used
- The pharmaceutical companies making medicine
- Pharmacies selling medication
- Retail stores selling medical devices
A Call to Action for Medical Malpractice
If you or a loved one is harmed due to a medical malpractice incident, otherwise negligence of a medical professional or facility, don’t hesitate to contact Williamsport medical malpractice lawyer Clifford A. Rieders, an attorney seasoned with many years of experience and a long list of winning cases related to medical malpractice. You, the victim, must file a claim for fair and justifiable compensation for your endless list of losses.
Remember that you are the victim. However, you must show the burden of proof that your injuries were due to medical malpractice, which is sometimes tricky to prove. We deal with these cases every day, and we will help you formulate your medical malpractice case. We deal with insurance companies, professionals, and the companies where these professionals work.
Never pay for any other person’s mistakes and negligence. Give us a call today if you suspect you are a victim of medical malpractice. We will help sort out all the specifics of your case and advise you if you have a strong case for medical malpractice. Please call us as soon as possible for a free no-obligation consultation and know that time is of the essence as there is a statute of limitations in Pennsylvania is two years.