Effective Medical Malpractice Lawyers For Injured Patients
Last updated on December 26, 2022
Skip to:
- Types of Medical Malpractice Cases
- Compensation for Medical Malpractice Injuries
- Why D’Amico is the Right Firm for You
- Proving Your Medical Malpractice Claim
- Call a Pittsburgh Medical Malpractice Lawyer for Help
- Medical Malpractice FAQs
We’re Ready To Hear Your Story
You go to the doctor for help, not to be hurt further or suffer more. Yet every year, many patients experience harm at the hands of licensed medical professionals. Instead of receiving the accepted standard of care, you may have become the victim of a serious medical mistake. The consequences could be painful, costly, and permanent.
If you suspect that you or a relative have been injured by medical negligence, call a medical malpractice lawyer in Pittsburgh right away. What you need right now is information, an objective look at your situation, and advice on moving forward. D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, can give you that.
Schedule a free consultation through our online form or by calling 412-906-8180 today.
Doctor discussing chart results with a woman senior patient
Types Of Medical Malpractice Cases
The knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers at D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, in Pittsburgh have litigated and advocated for clients in countless medical malpractice cases, including those involving:
- Misdiagnosis
- Cancer misdiagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis and treatment
- Incorrect treatment plan
- Emergency room or urgent care mistakes
- Surgical errors
- Anesthesiologist errors
- Nurse errors
- Pregnancy and birth injuries
- Hospital-acquired infections
- Prescription drug errors
- Lack of informed consent
Any medical mistake, wherever it occurs in your diagnosis, treatment, or recovery can be life changing. One mistake can cause a long-term disfigurement or disability. Instead of healing from an injury or medical condition, now you face more pain, medical care and expenses.
You have every right to hold the medical professional and facility responsible for the harm they’ve caused. But medical malpractice cases are complex, and Pennsylvania law requires you to follow a specific process. Reach out to our medical malpractice attorneys in Pittsburgh for guidance.
Defective Medical Devices And Drugs
We are also experienced product liability attorneys. If a medical device or dangerous drug injured you or a loved one, call us right away. Instead of filing a lawsuit against your medical provider or the facility, your claim may be against a medical device manufacturer or pharmaceutical company. These companies are responsible for making sure their products are safe, and when they don’t, they might be liable.
Compensation For Medical Malpractice Injuries
When you or a loved one have been victimized by medical malpractice, you may demand damages for your physical, emotional, and financial injuries. There are economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Past and future medical bills
- Medical devices
- Long-term at-home care and assistance
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Reduced earning potential over your lifetime
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and distress
- Lower quality of life
- Loss of a relationship with a spouse
Pennsylvania medical malpractice law doesn’t limit how much you can receive for your economic and non-economic damages, which are collectively called compensatory damages.
Punitive Damages
Another form of damages is punitive damages. Instead of compensating you for an injury, punitive damages punish the wrongdoer for their actions.
These are allowed in rare cases. To win punitive damages, you have to prove more than negligence. You have to show the medical professional acted in a willful and wanton manner or with malicious intent. If you can prove the provider’s actions were beyond ordinary carelessness, then you may be able to demand punitive damages up to twice (200%) the value of your compensatory damages.
Why D’Amico Law Offices Is The Right Firm For You
It can be scary to accuse a medical professional or facility of malpractice. But you don’t want them to get away with hurting you and others with negligent care. The first step to take is to contact a medical malpractice lawyer in Pittsburgh for help. At D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, we can offer you information on Pennsylvania medical malpractice laws and our opinion on your case.
Our record proves we work hard for individuals and families overwhelmed by teams of lawyers employed by hospitals, doctors’ syndicates, medical implant manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies. We never back down from a fight. During your free consultation, we’ll talk about similar cases we’ve handled and how we’ve won fair outcomes in medical malpractice cases.
We have the legal experience to help, and the human experience to care.
We’re a family-owned and operated law firm. What does that mean for you? No other law firm offers the personal touch we do or will treat you like family. We treat every prospective client who walks through our doors with the same respect and compassion we offer our loved ones.
Doctor looking tired and worried after a long day
Proving Your Medical Malpractice Claim
To win medical malpractice compensation, you have to prove your medical provider was negligent.
There are four parts to negligence:
- The medical professional owed you a duty of care because of a doctor-patient relationship;
- The medical professional breached their duty of care;
- The breach caused you harm; and
- You suffered an injury that the medical professional can compensate you for.
The hard part about a medical malpractice case is establishing the accepted standard of care and then showing the medical professional or facility didn’t adhere to that standard. But our medical malpractice attorneys have years of experience doing this. We know how to use your medical records and expert medical testimony to build your case.
To file a medical malpractice case, you need a Certificate of Merit. We’ll reach out to an appropriate medical expert right away. We’ll get their opinion about the likelihood of medical malpractice in writing to submit to the court.
Call Our Pittsburgh Medical Malpractice Lawyers For Help
Once you suspect a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or medical facility did something wrong, it’s time to call a lawyer. It’s hard to figure out whether you or a loved one have been hurt by medical negligence. Our experienced lawyers can explain the difference between complications, side effects, and malpractice. We have years of experience handling these claims and reviewing medical records, which is why we can offer an honest opinion about whether you have a valid claim.
The best way to determine if you or a loved one have been hurt by medical malpractice is to call a lawyer experienced with medical malpractice cases in Pittsburgh. At D’Amico Law Offices, LLC, we know how to review your medical records and have connections with medical experts. We’ll figure out what happened and why.
Call us at 412-906-8180 or use the online form to set up an initial consultation.
Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice FAQs
What Is Informed Consent?
Informed consent means you agree to a procedure fully understanding the potential risks. Doctors are required to tell you the material risks associated with a treatment and get your permission before performing any procedures on you. They have to tell you the vital facts about the procedure, any risks involved, and possible alternative solutions. Failing to get your informed consent may be considered medical malpractice. The exception to the informed consent rule is in emergencies.
What Is The Average Payout For Medical Malpractice?
There isn’t an average medical malpractice settlement or court award, really. Every case is unique. But we can learn from the National Practitioner Data Bank, a repository for medical malpractice payments and adverse actions against medical professionals. In 2019, Pennsylvania had 909 medical malpractice payouts, with an average of $405,978.
How Long Does A Medical Malpractice Case Take?
There isn’t a definite timeline for medical malpractice cases. Many factors can impact how quickly we resolve your case or how long the other side draws it out. You should expect it to take months or over a year. Some cases take years to resolve.
Will My Medical Malpractice Case Go To Trial?
Most likely, no. Most medical malpractice claimants settle out of court. But our lawyers have the knowledge and experience to take your claim to trial if it’s in your best interests. We prepare for each case as if we must fight for your recovery at trial.
How Do I Prove Medical Malpractice?
We will need evidence of the accepted standard of care, the doctor’s deviation from that standard, and your injuries. We’ll collect this evidence, which includes your medical records. We might gather pictures or videos of your injuries or ask for your journal entries. We’ll hire at least one medical expert to testify about the standard of care and how your medical professional’s actions weren’t appropriate. We also may depose witnesses, including other medical professionals at the hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office.
How Long Do You Have To Sue For Medical Malpractice In PA?
Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases is two years to file a lawsuit. Usually, you have two years from the date the malpractice happened. But there’s an exception called the Discovery Rule. You may have longer than two years to file a lawsuit if you didn’t know about your injury and the medical malpractice until months or years later. It’s important to talk with a Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyer about how long you have to file.