Blog: Medical Malpractice

Pennsylvania hospitals can be dangerous to one’s health, Part 1

Apr 10, 2013

Hospitals are deemed by many Pittsburgh residents to be a safe environment. There is good reason for this. On a regular basis, patients receive the care they need to recover from accidents and injuries. While this is the outcome in most situations, unfortunately in some cases hospital patients actually suffer injuries and illnesses due medical errors they are on the receiving end of while they are in the hospital. These medical errors take many forms...

Can better communication reduce medical errors?

Apr 10, 2013

Doctor errors are a big problem in the medical system, both in Ohio and throughout the United States. While distraction, inattention and busyness are all major contributing factors, many misdiagnoses and other errors can be traced back to poor communication between doctors and their patients. The Cleveland Clinic is working on a program to address this issue. They have developed an education program that teaches medical students and practicing physicians better strategies for communicating with...

Jury verdict in favor of victims who contracted Hepatitis C

Apr 10, 2013

Each day individuals throughout Western Pennsylvania turn to medical professionals to address illnesses and injuries they suffer. In some cases visits to medical providers are preventative in nature, designed to keep the person as healthy as possible by identifying any health issues as early in their development as possible. When medical errors are committed in any of these situations that result in harm to the patient, a medical malpractice lawsuit may be appropriate. An ailment...

Woman who lost foot awarded more than $800,000 in med mal case

Apr 2, 2013

Upon falling ill, many individuals seek the advice of a medical professional. Doctors are highly educated and trained professionals who utilize a wealth of knowledge and diagnostic skills to appropriately assess and treat individual patients. In cases where a doctor fails to take steps to appropriately assess and diagnose a patient's condition, permanent injury and even death may result. A woman was recently awarded more than $800,000 in damages related to a medical malpractice lawsuit...

For better patient care, keep healthcare workers safe

Mar 29, 2013

Whenever someone in the Pittsburgh area finds that they need to seek medical attention at a hospital, it is assumed that they will get the best care available. There are many factors that go into making sure patients at a hospital receive that care they expect. Some of those factors include making sure there are enough members on staff and that those members are well trained and qualified to provide the prescribed care. There are...

Ohio woman files medical malpractice lawsuit for failed procedure

Mar 20, 2013

Most Ohio residents are used to hearing about legal battles being waged related to the topic of abortion. A recent medical malpractice lawsuit filed against a doctor at one Ohio clinic that performs the procedure, however, relates to an unusual set of circumstances. When an Ohio woman and mother of a preschool aged son learned she was pregnant with a second child, she hoped for good news. During her first pregnancy, the woman learned she...

Sponges left in bodies after surgery cause serious problems

Mar 20, 2013

For many who are preparing to undergo a surgery of any kind, there are concerns. Because even the most routine surgical procedure is accompanied by some risk, these concerns are legitimate. The thing most people are probably the most worried about is the anesthesia being administered correctly. It is not the only concern Pittsburgh area residents preparing for a surgery could have to deal with. Another operation related issue a patient could face is surgery...

Doctors hesitant to report impaired colleagues

Mar 13, 2013

Most Ohio residents can likely recall a time when they made a mistake at work. When errors occur at most places of work, such mistakes may result in additional time and money being spent to rectify the error. When a doctor or nurse has an off day and makes an error, the stakes are typically much higher. In recent years, much has been reported about the prevalence of medical errors within America's hospitals and medical...

Medical malpractice claims due to laser surgery on the rise

Mar 13, 2013

While it is possible for a medical malpractice lawsuit to be filed against a health care facility for injuries that result due to physical conditions of the facility, when most people hear the term, they assume the lawsuit is because of the negligent behavior of a physician, nurse or other health care provider. The actions by these individuals occur in a variety of settings including medical procedures or surgery. One area in which the number...

Were more Exeter Hospital patients infected with Hepatitis C?

Mar 13, 2013

Many throughout the nation, including residents of the Pittsburgh area, are enraged over the spread of Hepatitis C to multiple victims by a lab technician who apparently had a drug problem. At Exeter Hospital alone, the number of patients definitely known to have contracted the same strain is at 32. While there are more from hospitals located elsewhere in the country, it is possible that the number of patients infected by the man at Exeter...