Hospital negligence claims in Scranton arise when hospitals and their staff fail to meet accepted medical standards, causing preventable harm to patients.
As a patient, you have the right to expect your medical provider and surrounding medical professionals to uphold the expected standard of care. Anything below that standard is considered medical negligence. If the patient is injured as a result of that negligence, they may have a legitimate claim for medical malpractice. It’s as simple as that.
At Munley Law, we represent individuals and families across Northeastern Pennsylvania who have suffered because a hospital put profits, poor systems, or careless oversight ahead of patient safety. We know that hospital negligence cases are legally and medically complex. They often involve institutional failures, systemic breakdowns, and corporate liability. Our Scranton medical malpractice lawyers investigate every detail, consult leading medical experts, and build claims designed to hold hospitals accountable under Pennsylvania law.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
Call Us At 844-686-5397 What Qualifies as Hospital Negligence in Scranton?
Hospital negligence is a failure by the hospital or hospital staff to meet the expected standard of care for its patients. These failures may include:
- Inadequate staffing levels
- Failure to properly train or supervise staff
- Poor sanitation or infection control failures
- Improper maintenance of medical equipment
- Medication administration system failures
- Lack of informed consent
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 31 hospitalized patients acquires at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI) on any given day in U.S. hospitals. Many of these infections are preventable through proper hospital protocols. When institutional systems break down, hospitals may be legally responsible.
How Is Hospital Negligence Different from Medical Malpractice?
Hospital negligence and medical malpractice are related but distinct concepts:
- Hospital Negligence occurs when the hospital, as an institution, fails to provide a safe environment or adequate care, leading to patient harm. Examples include improper sanitation, inadequate staffing, failure to maintain equipment, or errors in scheduling. The hospital, rather than individual medical providers, is typically liable.
- Medical Malpractice involves a healthcare professional—such as a doctor, nurse, or surgeon—failing to provide the standard of care expected in their field and harming a patient. Examples include surgical errors, incorrect medication, misdiagnosis in Scranton, or failure to follow up on test results. Here, the liability rests with the individual professional or their employer.
In short, hospital negligence focuses on the institution’s failures, while medical malpractice focuses on the actions of individual healthcare providers.
Can I Sue a Hospital for a Doctor’s Negligence in Pennsylvania?
Yes, you can sue a hospital for negligent doctor actions under certain circumstances. Like in any other employer/employee relationship, the hospital is liable for its staff, including the physicians who practice at the medical facility.
In other words, if a physician or staff member acted within the scope of employment and caused harm, the hospital may be legally responsible.
In hospital negligence cases, the legal principle of vicarious liability will apply to your medical malpractice lawsuit. Vicarious liability is when a superior entity, such as a hospital, is accountable for the negligence of its employees and the healthcare professionals who work there.
For your medical malpractice claim to be successful, your circumstances must meet these requirements:
- The doctor’s negligent medical care occurred during work hours. If a doctor happens to be a friend of yours and agrees to treat you outside of work hours, the hospital is not liable for any malpractice that may occur.
- The negligence occurred during duties the doctor was hired to perform (medical treatment, testing, diagnostics, etc.).
- The activity in which the physician committed negligence benefited the hospital.
Suppose you were a victim of medical negligence and received a bill from the Scranton hospital where you were treated. You can file a medical malpractice claim against the negligent doctor and hospital in that case.
“Honoring those who came before us, Munley Law proudly continues our family tradition of innovation, caring, and integrity. Three generations of Munleys have built this firm on one belief: that injured people deserve the same fierce advocacy that the powerful receive as a matter of course. That belief still drives everything we do.”
Caroline Munley
What Are the Most Common Causes of Hospital Negligence Cases in Scranton?
There are several ways a hospital can fall short of the expected standard of care. However, some of the most common examples of hospital negligence are:
Hospital-Acquired Infections
A hospital-acquired infection is one that a patient contracts during their stay in a hospital. This type of infection is not related to the condition or injury that brought the patient to the hospital, nor is it connected to their overall health. It occurs solely because of their time in the hospital. Simply put, a patient would not have developed a hospital-acquired infection if they had not been in the hospital.
Inadequate Staffing, Training, or Supervision
Inadequate staffing, poor training, or a lack of supervision can lead to medical errors that cause devastating harm to hospital patients. Part of the standards of care in hospitals is to have enough staff to give each patient the proper care and attention they need.
Hospitals have a duty to ensure sufficient staffing levels for safe care delivery. However, the National Academy of Medicine has reported that systemic workforce shortages directly impact patient outcomes. When hospitals prioritize cost-cutting over safe staffing ratios, patients suffer.
When Is a Hospital Liable for a Scranton Healthcare Provider’s Actions?
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Pennsylvania medical malpractice law allows a patient to pursue a medical malpractice claim against the hospital where the negligent doctor works.
This falls under respondeat superior, meaning “let the master answer.” Under this legal doctrine, an employer may be held accountable for the negligence committed by their employee during working hours.
For a successful claim against the doctor and hospital, the patient must prove:
- There was a duty of care owed to the patient.
- The physician violated his duty and provided substandard care.
- The doctor’s negligence directly caused the patient’s injury or worsened the patient’s illness.
- The violation of the standard of care caused the patient financial losses.
In some cases, even independent contractors may create hospital liability under “apparent agency” if patients reasonably believed the provider represented the hospital. These cases require a thorough investigation into contracts, hospital policies, and employment structures.
How Can a Scranton Medical Malpractice Attorney Help My Case?
A Scranton medical malpractice lawyer will be your legal champion throughout the claims process.
Here are the three main ways a Munley Law Scranton medical malpractice lawyer will do for you in order to help your claim:
- We will take over your case, from filing your paperwork correctly and within Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations to gathering evidence and building a strong case in your favor.
- We will take over the correspondence with the insurance company. You don’t need to spend hours on the phone or negotiate alone. We will handle all communication and negotiations.
- If your medical malpractice claim goes to court, your medical malpractice lawyer goes with you. At Munley Law, our trial attorneys have extensive experience and success litigating medical malpractice cases before judges and juries.
Since 1959, our personal injury firm has earned national recognition for complex personal injury litigation. We have secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for injured clients, been named among Best Lawyers in America, and earned repeated inclusion in Super Lawyers. Our attorneys are board-certified civil trial advocates and members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum – distinctions reflecting our experience and proven results. We also prepare every claim as if it will go before a jury, because hospitals and insurers take trial-ready firms seriously.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Receive in a Scranton Hospital Negligence Lawsuit?
A medical malpractice lawsuit offers two general damages: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are tangible monetary losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. If the worst happens and hospital negligence leads to the death of your loved one, a wrongful death claim in Scranton can help recover funeral and burial costs, as well as the income your loved one would have earned if they had survived.
Non-economic damages are intangible and, therefore, more difficult to calculate. They cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of consortium.
In rare cases, punitive damages may be awarded in addition to compensatory damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the negligent medical professional and deter them from behaving similarly in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospital Negligence Claims in Scranton
How Long Do I Have to File a Hospital Negligence Lawsuit in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations typically allows two years from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. Certain exceptions may apply in cases involving minors or delayed diagnosis. Acting quickly protects critical evidence that could fade or disappear with time.
Do I Need a Medical Expert to File a Hospital Negligence Claim?
Yes. Pennsylvania requires a Certificate of Merit confirming that a qualified medical professional supports the claim. Without it, the case may be dismissed.
What If I Signed the Consent Form Before Treatment?
Signing a consent form does not excuse negligent care. Consent acknowledges risks – it does not authorize substandard treatment.
Are Nonprofit Hospitals Protected from Lawsuits?
No. Nonprofit status does not shield hospitals from liability for negligence.
Can Family Members File a Claim If the Patient Is Incapacitated?
Yes. A legal guardian or power of attorney may act on behalf of an incapacitated patient to pursue damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Scranton Medical Malpractice Attorney at Munley Law
Munley Law’s compassionate medical malpractice attorneys offer a free consultation to new clients. Our Scranton personal injury attorneys will listen to your story, assess your case, lay out your legal options, and provide legal advice throughout the claims process.
We operate on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win. Our commitment is simple: hold powerful institutions accountable and secure justice for families harmed by preventable medical errors.
Call today to schedule a no-obligation consultation to get the process started.
Caroline Munley
Caroline Munley is an experienced and award-winning personal injury lawyer and is a board-certified workers’ compensation specialist. Since 2018, she’s been listed in Best Lawyers in America (Personal Injury Plaintiffs; Workers’ Compensation Claimants, Northeastern PA), Lawdragon, and has been a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2022. A member of the International Society of Barristers, Caroline has won millions of dollars for car accident, commercial truck crash, and workplace injury victims.
Reviewed by Bernadine Munley, Esq., Personal Injury Attorney at Munley Law, on April 15, 2026.
