Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Physicians are highly trained, extensively educated professionals who dedicate their careers to helping and healing patients. Medical professionals take the art of healing so seriously that every physician swears by the Hippocratic Oath to “Do No Harm.”
However, doctors are human, and make mistakes. The difference is when doctors and other medical providers make errors in judgment, the consequences can be fatal. In fact, some reports claim as many as 440,000 died in 2019 due to medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice changes peoples’ lives every day throughout Pennsylvania and across the United States. If you suffered injuries from or lost a loved one to medical provider negligence, call Wilk Law. Our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys help patients hold medical providers responsible for making preventable mistakes and providing their patients with substandard medical treatment.
Wilk Law’s Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys are:
- Compassionate and empathetic;
- Experienced in all aspects of medical malpractice;
- Proven successful; and
- Possessed of the resources needed to fight large medical groups and insurance companies.
Wilk Law Firm offers our clients personalized legal service and focused legal strategies. Contact us online or call us today at (855) 946-3678 and schedule a complimentary claim consultation. At Wilk Law, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only collect legal fees when we win your case.
Let Our Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Attorneys Help You
Never face a medical malpractice case alone. Medical malpractice claims are some of the most challenging, multi-faceted personal injury claims in existence. Even experienced medical malpractice attorneys do not face medical malpractice claims alone.
Instead, skilled medical malpractice lawyers surround themselves with the best team possible to win your case. At Wilk Law Firm, this is no different. We add our legal team’s skill and expertise to highly qualified expert witnesses to build the strongest medical malpractice claim possible on your behalf.
Wilk Law’s Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers make your case trial-ready through:
- Thorough incident investigation;
- Assembling medical records;
- Acquiring expert reports and testimony;
- Interviewing credible witnesses;
- Determining all liable parties and sources of compensation;
- Calculating your physical, mental, and emotional damages;
- Assessing your claim’s value; and
- Filing a civil lawsuit on your behalf.
Most medical malpractice cases settle outside of court. If your case cannot settle fairly outside of court, Wilk Law will proceed with litigation.
Our medical malpractice attorneys care about your recovery. Call Wilk Law in Philadelphia today to discuss how we evaluate medical malpractice claims and hold careless medical providers responsible for subpar or negligent care.
The Medical Malpractice Epidemic
Despite medical advancement, there are still untreatable diseases and injuries. Even the best doctors cannot improve a patient’s health 100 percent of the time. This does not mean the doctor made a mistake or was guilty of medical malpractice.
However, many poor medical outcomes result from medical malpractice, which is quickly becoming a public health epidemic. With doctors and other healthcare providers unwilling to readily admit to mistakes, patients are often unsure whether malpractice occurred and what, if anything, to do about it.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is when a hospital, doctor, or other health care professional acts outside of the accepted and required standard of care of their area and injures or kills a patient. Any health care professional or organization may be liable for medical malpractice, not just a family doctor or surgeon.
In Pennsylvania, any of the following may be liable for medical malpractice:
- A doctor;
- A registered nurse;
- A dentist;
- A podiatrist;
- A chiropractor;
- An optometrist;
- A pharmacist;
- A surgical center;
- An assisted living center;
- A nursing home;
- An emergency medical care provider;
- A home health agency;
- A hospice;
- A hospital; and
- A care center for the mentally disabled.
A tragic 250,000 Americans died in 2016 due to medical errors, according to Johns Hopkins University. This made medical errors the third largest cause of death in 2016, behind only heart disease and cancer. This is nearly 700 deaths a day.
Types of Medical Malpractice Claims
Medical malpractice may occur at any time, during any treatment or procedure, and result in an incredible variety of injuries.
The most commonly cited medical malpractice claims are:
- Misdiagnosis;
- Wrongful death;
- Hospital injuries;
- Medical device malfunction;
- Medication errors;
- Brain injuries;
- Improper reading of a lab result or X-ray; and
- Transfusion error.
- Emergency room neglect;
- Eye injuries;
- Surgical errors;
- Delayed diagnosis;
- Failure to get informed consent;
- Anesthesia errors; and
- Birth Injuries.
Birth injuries may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Erb’s Palsy;
- Forceps delivery;
- Cerebral Palsy;
- Infant death;
- Shoulder dystocia;
- Stillbirth; and
- Wrongful birth.
Compensation for a Medical Malpractice Claim
Damages in a medical malpractice claim depend upon the type of malpractice, the severity of the injury, and the patient’s prognosis for recovery. The overall impact of the injury on the patient’s life is also a large factor in a compensation calculation.
Generally, compensation for medical malpractice injuries cover the following:
- Current and future medical expenses;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of earning potential;
- Pain and suffering;
- Mental anguish; and
- If applicable, wrongful death expenses.
Other types of damages may be available in your medical malpractice claim. To find out more about the specific value of your claim and compensation to which you may be entitled, seek the advice of an experienced medical malpractice attorney.
Pennsylvania’s Statute of Limitation for Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
Pennsylvania requires patients to file a medical malpractice lawsuit within two years of the date of the medical provider’s malpractice. Otherwise, recovery is barred.
There are limited exceptions to this rule, including:
- When the patient’s injury is not immediately known; and
- When the patient is a minor.
When an injury is unknown, the clock starts running when the patient knew or should have known about their injury and its relationship to the malpractice. The patient has two years from that point to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Minors have until their twentieth birthday to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This is two years from the date of the majority.
Contact a Philadelphia Medical Malpractice Attorney Today
To discuss any aspect of medical malpractice in Philadelphia, PA, including compensation and the statute of limitations in your specific case, call Wilk Law Firm at (855) 946-3678 or contact us online. Our medical malpractice attorneys can answer your questions and schedule a free consultation regarding your claim.
In addition to Philadelphia our legal team also serves West Chester, Coatesville, Downingtown, Philadelphia, Berwyn, Devon, Exton, Frazer, Phoenixville, Pottstown, and more.