Navigating Hospital Malpractice in Philadelphia: How a Lawyer Can Help

Note: For purposes of this article, the terms “medical malpractice” (referring to negligence in the context of the practice of medicine) and “hospital malpractice” (referring to medical negligence specifically in a hospital setting) will be used interchangeably as “hospital malpractice” is a subset of “medical malpractice.”

If you believe you have been injured because of what happened to you while you were at a hospital in Philadelphia, then you might have a valid hospital malpractice lawsuit and you may be able to be compensated for your injuries. The only way to know if you do, in fact, have a valid claim is by contacting a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney for a consultation.

Below are some ways a lawyer can help you navigate a hospital malpractice lawsuit.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FILE THE LAWSUIT IN THE FIRST PLACE

In every hospital malpractice case, time is of the essence. If your hospital malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia does not act efficiently and swiftly, critical information could be permanently lost or worse: You could lose the opportunity to file a lawsuit at all! You need to hire an experienced attorney who appreciates the time-sensitive nature of your hospital malpractice claim and who files the lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. If the statute of limitations expires, you lose your right to file a lawsuit in the first place.

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO RETAIN CRUCIAL EVIDENCE

An experienced medical malpractice attorney in Philadelphia knows what actions must be taken early in the process such as ordering medical records including hospital intake forms, nurses’ logs, doctors’ notes, lab results, diagnostic orders and test results, etc. Other examples of evidence that needs to be gathered in a timely fashion include witness statements, photographs and videos, and physical objects that are related to the hospital malpractice claim such as prescription bottles and medical devices.

The presence or absence of these crucial forms of evidence could determine whether your lawsuit is successful or not.

YOUR COMPLAINT WILL INCLUDE ALL NECESSARY CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION

An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will know whom to sue – which entity (sometimes hospitals are part of huge healthcare conglomerate corporations), which doctors, and which hospital employees, including nurses, specialists, hospital administrative staff, technicians, etc. The attorney will evaluate the case with knowledge of all possible causes of action and claims for damages. Also, there are special statutes in Philadelphia that apply to certain cases. An experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney knows which statutes apply to your case and how to craft your claim in the way that puts you in the best position to win.

If you believe you have been injured as the result of negligence in a Philadelphia hospital, contact the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at VSCP LAW.