May 27, 2026 | Medical Malpractice
Most people trust doctors, nurses, and hospitals to provide safe and effective care. While many healthcare providers work hard to protect their patients, medical mistakes still happen every day in Pennsylvania and across the country. Some errors may only cause temporary complications, while others can change a person’s life forever.
Medical errors are one of the leading causes of preventable injuries in the United States. When a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, patients may suffer serious physical, emotional, and financial harm. In some situations, those patients may have the right to pursue a medical malpractice claim.
Below are some of the most common medical errors seen in Pennsylvania healthcare settings.
Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
Diagnostic mistakes are among the most common and most dangerous medical errors. A doctor may fail to recognize a serious condition, diagnose the wrong illness, or delay diagnosis long enough for the patient’s condition to worsen.
When this happens, patients can lose valuable time that could have been used for treatment and recovery.
Common examples include:
- Failing to diagnose cancer
- Misdiagnosing a heart attack as acid reflux or anxiety
- Missing the warning signs of a stroke
- Failing to detect infections or sepsis
- Incorrectly diagnosing neurological conditions
These mistakes often happen because symptoms are overlooked, tests are not ordered, or lab results are misread.
Surgical Errors
Surgery always carries risks, but preventable mistakes during surgery can lead to devastating consequences. Patients trust surgical teams to follow proper procedures and prioritize safety at every stage of treatment.
Unfortunately, surgical errors still occur.
Common surgical mistakes include:
- Operating on the wrong body part
- Performing the wrong procedure
- Leaving surgical tools or sponges inside the patient
- Damaging nearby organs or nerves
- Anesthesia errors
- Failing to properly monitor the patient during surgery
These errors can result in infections, internal injuries, additional surgeries, and long recovery periods.
Medication Errors
Medication mistakes can happen in hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes, and even doctors’ offices. In some cases, a simple oversight can place a patient in serious danger.
Examples of medication errors include:
- Prescribing the wrong medication
- Giving the incorrect dosage
- Failing to account for drug interactions
- Administering medication to the wrong patient
- Ignoring allergies or existing medical conditions
Older adults and children are often especially vulnerable because they may react more severely to incorrect dosages or medications.
Birth Injuries
Mistakes during pregnancy, labor, or delivery can have lifelong consequences for both the child and the parents. While not every birth complication is preventable, some injuries happen because medical providers fail to respond appropriately during labor and delivery.
Common causes of birth injuries include:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress
- Delaying a necessary C-section
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors
- Oxygen deprivation during birth
- Failure to diagnose pregnancy complications
These errors may contribute to conditions such as cerebral palsy, nerve damage, developmental delays, or brain injuries.
Emergency Room Errors
Emergency rooms are fast-paced environments where doctors and nurses often make critical decisions under pressure. Even so, patients still deserve careful and competent medical care.
Some of the most common emergency room mistakes include:
- Failing to diagnose serious medical conditions
- Delayed treatment
- Improper discharge from the hospital
- Failure to order appropriate tests
- Communication breakdowns between providers
When emergency room errors occur, patients may leave the hospital without receiving the treatment they urgently need.
Hospital-Acquired Infections
Hospitals and medical facilities are expected to follow strict sanitation and safety procedures. When those procedures are ignored or poorly managed, patients can develop serious infections during their stay.
Examples include:
- Surgical site infections
- MRSA infections
- Sepsis
- Catheter-related infections
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Hospital-acquired infections can lead to additional treatment, longer hospital stays, and serious long-term complications.
Call Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC to Schedule a Free Consultation with a Scranton Medical Malpractice Attorney
A serious medical error can leave patients and families dealing with painful, unexpected challenges. If you believe a healthcare provider’s negligence caused harm, you may have the right to pursue compensation under Pennsylvania law.
For more information, contact Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC to schedule a free consultation with our experienced personal injury attorneys. We proudly serve clients in Scranton, Kingston, Berwick, PA, and Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne Counties. We’re here to fight for your rights with trusted, experienced legal support. Let us help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Fellerman & Ciarimboli, Law PC Scranton
148 Adams Ave, Scranton, PA 18503
(570) 714-4878
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183 Market St #200, Kingston, PA 18704
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120 W Front St, Berwick, PA 18603
(570) 714-4878