Medical Malpractice Information Page

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Important Information about Medical Negligence Claims

When you have been injured because of the substandard care of a medical professional, you may be uncertain what your rights are or how to seek recovery for your losses. Because medical care involves putting your trust in a doctor, nurse or other professional, you may be reluctant to rely on another professional to help you recover for your losses.

At the law offices of Weisman Goldman Bowen & Grzywinski, LLP, we understand the devastating effect that a medical injury can have, physically, emotionally and financially. We care deeply about the people with whom we work and dedicate ourselves to the highest level of personal service and attention. For a free initial consultation to discuss your medical injury, contact us. We are located next to the City-County Building in downtown Pittsburgh. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day.

Weisman Goldman Bowen & Grzywinski, LLP
310 Grant Street
Grant Building, Suite 1200
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2243
Telephone: (412) 566-2520
Fax: (412) 566-1088

Natrona Heights Office
1525 Freeport Road
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Telephone: (724) 224-3754

At the law offices of Weisman Goldman Bowen & Grzywinski, LLP, in Pittsburgh, we represent clients throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, and across the North Hills and South Hills of Pittsburgh, including the communities of Monroeville, McKeesport, Greensburg, Beaver, Butler, Washington, Bethel Park, New Castle, Uniontown, Somerset, Sharon, Erie, Cranberry Twp, Latrobe, Altoona, Natrona Heights, Freeport, Kittanning, New Kensington and Johnstown.

Allegheny County ◊ Beaver County ◊ Butler County ◊ Washington County ◊ Westmoreland County ◊ Fayette County ◊ Armstrong County ◊ Lawrence County ◊ Mercer County ◊ Erie County ◊ Centre County ◊ Blair County ◊ Cambria County

At the law offices of Weisman Goldman Bowen & Grzywinski, LLP, in Pittsburgh, we represent victims of medical malpractice across southwestern Pennsylvania. We understand the physical, financial and emotional impact of a medical injury and dedicate ourselves to providing the highest level of personal service and attention to every client. Contact our offices to schedule a free initial consultation.

Medical malpractice occurs when a negligent act or omission by a doctor or other medical professional results in damage or harm to a patient. Negligence by a medical professional could include an error in a diagnosis, treatment or illness management. If such negligence results in injury to a patient, a case could arise against the doctor if his or her actions deviated from generally accepted standards of practice; against the hospital for improper care, such as problems with medications, sanitation or nursing care; or against local, state or federal agencies that operate hospital facilities.

Medical malpractice laws are designed to protect patients' rights to pursue compensation if they are injured as the result of negligence. However, malpractice suits are often complex and costly to win. While theoretically, you can seek compensation for any injury caused by negligence, regardless of its seriousness, time and money make it unrealistic to sue for an injury that is minor or heals quickly. Therefore, if you believe you have a medical malpractice claim, it is important to consult with an attorney who can help you determine whether your claim is worth pursuing.

Theories of Liability in Malpractice Cases

Negligence

Most medical malpractice cases proceed under the theory that a medical professional was negligent in treating the patient. To establish medical negligence, an injured patient, the plaintiff, must prove:

• The existence of a duty owed by the health care professional to the plaintiff (for example, a doctor/patient relationship)
• The applicable standard of care, and the health care professional's deviation from that standard, which is deemed a breach of the duty owed to the patient
• A causal connection between the health care professional's deviation from the standard of care and the patient's injury
• Injury or harm to the patient

One of the most important aspects of a medical malpractice action is establishing the standard of care to be applied to the health care professional. To find a medical professional legally at fault, it must be shown that his or her conduct fell below a generally accepted standard of medical care. To establish the standard to be applied, the plaintiff must present expert testimony not only as to the standard of care applicable, but that also establishes that the defendant failed to meet the standard. In cases where the defendant's violation of a standard of medical care is so apparent as to be comprehensible to the average person, expert testimony may not be required.

Another element of medical malpractice actions, causation, is sometimes difficult to establish. Specifically, the plaintiff must show that his or her health care provider's deviation from the applicable standard of care resulted in his or her injury. This is challenging because sometimes there may be other factors that contributed to the plaintiff's eventual injury.

Informed Consent

In many situations, the failure to obtain a patient's "informed consent" relative to a procedure or treatment is a form of medical negligence, and may even give rise to a cause of action for battery. Although the specific definition of informed consent may vary from state to state, it means essentially that a physician (or other medical provider) must inform the patient all of the potential benefits, risks and alternatives involved in any surgical procedure, medical procedure or other course of treatment, and must obtain the patient's consent to proceed.

Breach of Contract or Warranty

Although doctors very rarely promise specific results from procedures or treatments, in some cases they do, and the failure to produce the promised results may give rise to an action for breach of contract or breach of warranty. For example, a plastic surgeon may promise a patient a certain result, which result may be judged more easily than other types of medical results, simply by viewing the patient. Similarly, if a patient is not satisfied with the outcome of a procedure and the physician had guaranteed or warranted a certain result, the patient may attempt to recover under a theory of breach of warranty.

Legislation Affecting Malpractice Actions

Due to the power and resources of the health care industry, many states have passed legislation making it more difficult to bring and prevail in medical malpractice actions. For example, many states have "caps" on the amount of damages and attorneys fees that can be awarded in malpractice suits. In addition, barring extraordinary circumstances that affect the case, state laws provide set periods, called statutes of limitations, within which a plaintiff must file a malpractice action in court.

Potential Defendants

Medical malpractice can be committed by several types of health care professionals, including doctors, surgeons, nurses, technicians and other hospital workers. In a case where a hospital employee commits malpractice, the hospital itself may be held liable under the legal doctrine of "respondeat superior." Under this theory, an employer may be held liable for the negligent acts of its employee if the employee was acting within the scope of his or her employment when the negligent act or omission occurred. This doctrine is important to plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases, because it helps ensure there will be a financially responsible party to compensate an injured plaintiff.

Conclusion

In general, there are no guarantees of medical results. An unanticipated or unsuccessful result from medical treatment or surgery does not, in itself, mean that medical malpractice has been committed. Nonetheless, if you believe you may have been the victim of medical malpractice, you should meet with an experienced attorney as soon as possible to discuss the facts of your case and receive a professional evaluation of your situation.

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If you have been injured as a result of medical negligence, whether by a doctor, nurse or other healthcare worker, you want a lawyer who understands the physical, financial and emotional effects of a personal injury. At the law offices of Weisman Goldman Bowen & Grzywinski, LLP, in Pittsburgh, we care deeply about every clients, dedicating ourselves to providing the highest level of personal service and attention to every person we represent. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

Medical Malpractice Resource Links

Division of Quality Assurance
US Department of Health and Human Services. Links to National Practitioner Data Bank and the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank.

National Patient Safety Foundation
This Web site Features information about patient safety.

US Agency for Health Care Research & Quality
Provides information and links about patient safety, tips for patients and other general health information.

Joint Commission for International Patient Safety
The Joint Commission promotes and provides for the delivery of safe, high-quality care through its standards, event database, programs and its National Patient Safety Goals.