We are so used to the nearly miraculous things that modern medicine can accomplish that we often forget there are risks in even the simplest procedures. Philadelphia parents were shocked to hear that a healthy 6-year-old boy died in the dentist's chair this week. Jacobi Hill died following anesthesia for a routine procedure to cap several teeth. The Virginia first grader went into cardiac arrest at the Virginia Commonwealth University dental clinic and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Crystal Lewis, the young boy's mother, said her son had asthma but had been approved by his pediatrician for the dental procedure. The cause of death is unknown and under investigation.
Doctors, dentists and other medical professionals are not omnipotent. They are human, and humans make mistakes. While not all mistakes constitute medical malpractice, when a medical professional's error or negligence results in personal injury to a patient, medical malpractice may have occurred. Philadelphia patients may suffer serious, sometimes fatal or life-changing personal injuries due to an incorrect diagnosis or improper treatment. Specific tests may not have been ordered or the correct medication may not have been prescribed. An incorrect dosage or the wrong medicine may have been administered. Hospital staff may fail to follow a doctor's orders or may omit critical steps in standard care protocols. Many things can go wrong.
Modern medicine and medical care are such complex procedures that numerous avenues may have to be investigated by Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys before responsibility can be assigned in a medical malpractice case. Care for a single Philadelphia patient can include the primary care physician, emergency room staff, nurses, hospital workers, medical device technicians, laboratories, operating room facilities, pharmacists, physical therapists, and more. A breakdown or omission at any point in this complex system can have devastating effects for Philadelphia medical patients. If you have been injured by suspected medical malpractice, contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney for a free case evaluation.
