While underlying conditions increase clotting risk, medication errors play a major role in preventable cases of thromboembolism. Providers commonly use anticoagulant medications – such as warfarin, heparin, and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) – to help prevent DVT and PE in at-risk patients. mismanagement – such as incorrect dosing, omitted doses, or failure to adjust based on patient factors – can neglect necessary protection, allowing clots to form and become fatal emboli.
Certain drugs are toxic to the kidneys, particularly when improperly prescribed, administered in the wrong dose, or given without regard for the patient’s renal function. These medication errors can turn an otherwise reversible condition into a catastrophic outcome. One of the most frequent and preventable causes of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients is medication-related.
There are many potential causes of respiratory depression or arrest, including brain injuries, neuromuscular disorders, and severe infections. However, one of the most common—and most preventable—causes in hospitalized patients is the improper administration of medications.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, either due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). A hemorrhage, whether intracranial or elsewhere in the body, involves uncontrolled bleeding from blood vessels and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. In medical settings, these catastrophic events are sometimes the direct result of errors in medication management.
Cardiac events may occur despite appropriate care due to complex medical conditions or unforeseeable complications. However, when a provider fails to consider known risks, skips standard heart monitoring, administers drugs inappropriately, or ignores warning signs, preventable harm occurs—and it might be grounds for a malpractice claim.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is a rare but serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes. It often begins with flu-like symptoms and rapidly progresses to a painful red or purplish rash that blisters, peels, and causes layers of skin to die and slough off. SJS can affect the eyes, mouth, airway, genitals, and internal organs. In its more severe form—Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN)—the condition can be fatal.
A key player behind the scenes in many high-value medical malpractice claims is the MCARE Fund – Pennsylvania’s state-run excess coverage program for healthcare providers. If you’re wondering how MCARE affects settlements, jury verdicts, negotiation strategy, and when money actually gets paid out, this article breaks it all down in plain English.
The NPDB is a confidential federal database maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was created to track malpractice payments and disciplinary actions across state lines and ensure that hospitals, medical boards, and licensing authorities have access to a provider’s history of professional conduct.
This is one of the most common questions we receive from our clients—and it’s an important one. In most Pennsylvania medical malpractice cases, there are long stretches of time where it may feel like little is happening. But these periods are a normal part of a complex legal process that can take two to three years from the time a lawsuit is filed to when it resolves, whether by settlement or trial.
When someone dies because of another person’s carelessness, recklessness, or professional mistake, surviving family members are left not only grieving but also searching for answers and accountability. Understanding the differences between a wrongful death case and a negligence or medical malpractice claim is crucial, especially if you are thinking about pursuing legal action after the death of a loved one.
Many of our clients ask an important question before their deposition: “Can I say something that might hurt our medical malpractice case?” The short answer is no, not unless you say something that affects the value of your loved one’s injuries or loss.
When someone is injured because another person or company acted carelessly, the law provides a path to hold them accountable. This concept in everyday situations – like car accidents or slip-and-falls – is considered negligence. But when carelessness happens in a medical setting, involving licensed healthcare professionals, the law treats the claim very differently. In that case, it may rise to the level of medical malpractice.
