If you think that you have been the victim of a cancer misdiagnosis then the most important thing that you can do is to see a new doctor as quickly as possible. You need to get an accurate diagnosis so that you can start an appropriate treatment plan and get the pain relief and other care that you might need.

That appointment, that second opinion where you might learn the true nature of your illness, is your priority. You can make an appointment with a Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer before or after that appointment. When you call a Pennsylvania malpractice attorney, you can discuss when you should meet to discuss your potential case.

However, in the meantime do not wait to call another doctor. Do not wait another day to get the diagnosis, treatment and relief that you deserve.

Determining whether a bad medical outcome was a negligent mistake amounting to medical malpractice or a potential risk that could not be avoided is not easy.  However, it is important to investigate and determine the answer.

Typically, determining whether a bad outcome was medical malpractice requires the skilled help of a Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer. However, asking yourself the following three questions can be helpful even before you contact an attorney:

• Were you informed of the possible outcome prior to treatment?
• Did you notice anything out of the ordinary before, during or after the treatment?
• Has another doctor expressed confusion or concern over your outcome and mentioned that something may have gone wrong?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then it is worth considering whether medical negligence was responsible for your injury.

You’ve been hurt by what you believe was a mistake made by your doctor. Your condition was not diagnosed and you believe that the failure to diagnose was a result of your doctor’s malpractice. Now you are in pain and facing a difficult, potentially limited, future.

Is it worth it to talk to a Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney?

Consider:

• What a potential recovery could mean to your family and to your peace of mind.
• What a potential recovery could mean to future patients and their families.
• Whether you should bear the financial burden of what happened to you.
• Whether the doctor should be held accountable for his actions.

Then, you can decide for yourself whether it is worth consulting a Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer to find out more about your potential legal options.

A new study published in the August 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that almost every doctor will face a medical malpractice claim sometime in his or her career.  However, while 1 in 14 doctors are accused of medical malpractice each year, only 20% of those claims result in a medical malpractice payout.

At first glance, the study seems to report the premise that the media continues to hype – specifically that most medical malpractice claims are frivolous.  However, the study’s authors warn people that the truth is not that simple.  They explain, for example, that it is expensive to bring a medical malpractice case and that a medical malpractice lawyer would be foolish to bring a case without merit.

If you have been hurt, or if you have lost a loved one, due to medical malpractice then it is important to remember that you have the right to sue and you have the right to pursue damages for the wrong that has been done to you.  Do not let statistics scare you away from doing what you think is right.  Instead, consider the benefits of pursuing justice for yourself and for your family.

Last week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to change the way plaintiffs collect damages when there is more than one defendant found liable, as is often the case in medical malpractice cases.

If the bill approved by the House were to pass the Senate and be signed into law – and it should be noted that this is a big IF – then the law would protect wealthy defendants from having to pay more than their share of damages if co-defendants are found more liable but less able to pay.  Some exceptions to this rule would apply.  For example, defendants who are found liable for intentional torts or liable for more than 60% of the damages may not be protected.

What Does This Mean for Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs?

Right now, it means nothing, because it is not yet law.  If it does become law, then it means that a plaintiff’s Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney would need to help the plaintiff get the legal recovery that he or she deserves.