Who Can be Held Liable For Medical Malpractice?

Medical support and professionals are one of the first professionals you need to see after an accident or an injury. Our society tends to trust doctors and other medical support professionals to heal their wounds, provide medical advice, and perform other operations to ensure your health is the best it can be.

Unfortunately, there are some medical professionals who cannot be trusted and who make mistakes, and those mistakes can cost patients and victims dearly. Medical malpractice cases have been rising significantly, and you must know who can be liable for the malpractice. You must contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer if you experience a medical malpractice case.

Liable Parties In Medical Malpractice Cases:

Several entities or parties will likely be held liable for medical malpractice. Irrespective of the medical procedure or operation, a medical professional will be held responsible for medical malpractice under certain circumstances.

1. Hospitals

Hospitals are most likely to be held liable in medical malpractice cases. A hospital could be responsible for medical malpractice if the harm were caused by a medical professional or a doctor the hospital employs. Such instances are referred to as “vicarious liability.” Vicarious liability translates to an entity being held liable for the negligence of another party, including doctors, nurses, physicians, assistants, and other healthcare professionals.

It is essential to conduct proper steps to ensure all medical and healthcare professionals employed have the appropriate licensing and training to handle patients with utmost and standard medical care. As a result, a hospital will be held liable for medical malpractice or negligence if they did not appropriately investigate a medical professional’s credentials. Similarly, liability can be assigned if the hospital allows physicians to practice under their names and not treat patients carefully.

2. Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Apart from hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers are among the most common entities held liable for medical malpractice. The drug manufacturer will be responsible if a patient consumes a drug or medication and faces harm.

Although, the manufacturer will not be held liable if they warn physicians of the drug’s potential side effects and dangers. It would be in your best interest to consult a legal professional in Philadelphia in cases where the pharmaceutical manufacturer is responsible for medical malpractice, as the complexity of the case can only be dealt with with the help of a lawyer.

3. Other Healthcare Providers

A defendant in a medical malpractice claim can likely encounter other healthcare providers apart from hospitals, such as medical groups, urgent care facilities, and several medical professionals. Below is a list of other healthcare providers that can be held liable for medical malpractice: