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Hanover Medical Malpractice Lawyers, York County, PA

Caring advocacy for patients who experience medical malpractice in South Central Pennsylvania

Patients place their trust in physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. They trust that their doctors and others will make competent decisions based on the standard of care their profession requires. Senior citizens place their trust in nursing homes, trusting staff will take steps to ensure residents can lead lives that are as healthy and happy as possible.

At KBG Injury Law, our lawyers provide experienced counsel when you suffer injury through medical malpractice and negligence. We work with medical professionals and expert witnesses to help prove your case, and advocate for seniors when nursing homes cause their residents to suffer. Our lawyers have an impressive record of success negotiating strong settlements and securing high verdicts when negligent acts cause our clients harm.

Practice Areas

medical-mal-hanover

How can we help?

What is medical malpractice?

According to Hopkins Medicine, 10 percent of all deaths in the US (in 2016) were due to medical error.

There are several elements our Hanover personal injury lawyers must show in order to justify a medical malpractice claim:

  • There was a legitimate doctor-patient relationship.
  • The healthcare provider failed to provide the care considered competent for his/her medical practice.
  • The patient suffered harm and losses as a result of the lack of competent medical care.

The types of providers that may be liable for medical malpractice include doctors, medical practices, hospitals, nurses, medical technicians, pharmacists, midwives, and other healthcare professionals.

Generally, the competency requirements are based on the standard of care for each profession. For example, orthopedic care is judged by the healthcare that competent orthopedists in the area should provide.

What types of errors qualify as medical malpractice?

Most medical malpractice claims fall into one of the following categories:

  • Improper or delayed diagnosis. Physicians normally take a medical history, conduct a physical examination, examine prior health records, and request that the patient take specific diagnostic tests before they make an evaluation. An improper or delayed diagnosis can be fatal. An improper or untimely diagnosis may mean that your health condition can’t be treated. In the best cases, you live with your medical condition until a correct diagnosis can be made and your condition can be treated. In the worst cases, a patient dies. Diagnostic errors may be due to ordering the wrong tests or reading the results improperly.
  • Surgical errors. Surgeons, specialists, and doctors can be held responsible if anesthesia isn’t administered properly, they operate on the wrong body part or the wrong person, preventable complications occur, or instruments are left inside the patient.
  • Birth injuries. All doctors and nurses involved in a pregnancy should anticipate a range of potential complications, like preeclampsia, lack of oxygen, or dangerous blood pressure levels in mother or baby. Common birth injuries include cerebral palsy, HIE, Erb’s palsy, and other traumatic conditions.
  • Medication errors. Doctors need to order the correct medications in the correct dosages. Pharmacists must fill the prescriptions correctly. Healthcare providers need to consider interactions with other drugs. Nurses need to administer the correct drugs to a patient at the correct time in the correct amounts.
  • Failure to gain informed consent. Physicians must explain the known risks of any treatments or procedures they recommend to their patients before performing them.

The duty of competent medical care continues as long as the doctor-patient relationship does.

What types of complications does medical malpractice cause?

The complications patients suffer due to medical errors vary depending on their individual health condition and the type of medical negligence involved. These can include:

  • Surgery or treatments because of a delayed diagnosis, an improper diagnosis, surgical mistakes, or other medical errors.
  • An inability to correct the medical mistakes, causing the patient’s medical problems to continue or worsen.
  • Severe physical and emotional pain until corrective measures can be taken, including worries about how the delay in treatments will affect them.
  • Harm other than the original medical condition – such as when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part, ordering treatments for the wrong condition, or prescribing the wrong medications.
  • Wrongful death due to an improper or delayed diagnosis or other medical errors.

Some of the many conditions that may result from delayed or misdiagnosis include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, lung diseases, pneumonia, infections, and other disorders.

What is nursing home abuse and neglect?

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities provide long-term care for the elderly who can no longer care for themselves. Seniors and their families have the right to expect that these facilities will take all appropriate measures to protect them from abuse and harm. Depending on the circumstances, nursing homes can be held liable for medical malpractice when their actions (or inactions) cause harm to their residents. Our Hanover nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers file claims against nursing homes that fail to protect their residents from:

  • Physical abuse. Physical abuse includes any type of contact, use of restraints, or conduct that causes physical harm or death. Common signs of physical abuse include bruises, bleeding, wounds, bedsores, broken bones, rope marks, malnutrition, or harm because a resident didn’t receive his/her medications.
  • Emotional abuse. It’s one thing for a staff member to become frustrated with a member. It’s another thing to act out on those frustrations. Nursing home staff should take steps to avoid causing a senior to cry, feel isolated, anxious, or depressed. Signs of emotional abuse include withdrawal, an unwillingness to engage in social activities, fear, and unusual behavior.
  • Sexual abuse. Nursing home employees should never have nonconsensual or forced sexual contact with a resident. Sexual abuse includes sexual harassment, assault, and rape. Signs of sexual abuse include vaginal or anal bleeding, STDs, wounds around sexual body parts, and illicit photos or communications.
  • Financial abuse. Staff members and nursing homes should never steal from a senior, force the senior to sign a power of attorney, make unauthorized withdrawals, or forge a senior’s name. Signs of financial abuse include accounts that don’t balance, improper cashing of checks, and unexplained purchases.
  • Neglect. Nursing homes should design their facilities to anticipate seniors will fall and have other medical problems. Nursing homes must provide essential healthcare and hygiene. Maintenance and repairs should be a priority. Nursing homes should vet new employees and make sure they have enough staff to meet patient needs.

What amount of compensation can I expect for my Hanover medical malpractice case?

The amount of compensation due for your medical malpractice claim depends on numerous factors. Our Hanover medical malpractice lawyers work to maximize each factor. The first showing liability and negligence on the part of the at-fault medical professional or hospital. Once liability is established, the specific damages depend on the severity of your injuries.

Damages in medical malpractice cases include:

  • Your medical bills, including doctor consultations, hospitals stays and surgeries, physical and other types of therapy, psychological care, drugs, and assistive devices.
  • Lost income from the inability to work due to your injuries.
  • Physical pain and emotional suffering.
  • Disability or scarring and disfigurement.
  • Loss of consortium and inability to enjoy life.

In some cases, we may demand punitive damages. If a patient tragically dies, we file a claim for wrongful death damages, which include funeral and burial expenses.

Is there a medical malpractice lawyer near me?

KBG Injury Law is located at 250 York Street in Hanover, PA. We are just a few minutes away from York County district courts. We are conveniently located near Pennsylvania Routes 94, 116, 194, and 216. We also have locations throughout South Central Pennsylvania.

Discuss your Hanover medical malpractice claim today

At KBG Injury Law, our Hanover medical malpractice and nursing home attorneys understand the trauma medical negligence can cause to a family. We fight aggressively to hold responsible parties accountable for causing harm when they should have been helping you or a loved one. We have obtained numerous high settlements and verdicts for many clients. To talk more about your claim, call us at 717-848-3838 or use our contact form to make an appointment. We have office locations in Hanover, York, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and Gettysburg, and proudly help clients throughout South Central Pennsylvania.