When you turn to a Pennsylvania health care provider, it is with the expectation that he or she would provide quality care and guidance for your specific medical needs. However, some doctors fail to provide care that meets certain standards, and as a result, innocent patients may suffer.
You may suspect that you suffered unnecessarily because of medical malpractice or a medical error of some kind, but it can be difficult to know what to do next. If you believe that you are a victim of medical malpractice or negligence and may have grounds to move forward with a civil claim, you would be wise to first speak with an experienced attorney regarding your potential legal options.
How can I know if I am actually a victim?
Medicine is a practice, and sometimes, inadvertent mistakes happen. However, there are times when people suffer from mistakes, accidents and errors that were completely preventable and inexcusable. You may be a victim of medical malpractice if any of the following played a role in your pain and suffering:
- Surgery on the wrong site
- Incorrect diagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis
- Medication mistake
- Anesthesia error
- Misinformed of medical options
- Lack of post-operative care
- Infection
- Negligent care in a hospital
If you think that you suffered because of a medical error or negligence on the part of a doctor, nurse or other type of care provider, you have legal options available to you.
Proving fault in your civil claim
It can be difficult to validate a claim of medical malpractice. Proving negligence, the source of many medical errors, is difficult, but it is possible with an experienced legal ally working on your behalf. In order to clearly establish that fault lies with the health care practitioner due to negligence, you must present evidence that the care provider did one of the following:
- Failed to provide a certain standard of care
- Failed in the duty that he or she owed to the patient
- Caused the injury or chain reaction that led to physical harm of the patient
When a doctor fails to provide care that meets a certain standard, those who suffered because of negligent care have the right to bring a civil claim against the doctor and seek financial compensation.
Medical malpractice claims are complex, and you would be wise to work with an experienced attorney who can help you determine if you have a case and how you can move forward in building a strong claim. If you suffered, you do not have to suffer alone any longer. You have the right to seek whatever help you need for a full recovery.
