Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Philadelphia
IRENE M. MCLAFFERTY
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Irene M. McLafferty is a Partner at Messa & Associates with over 25 years of experience in the courtroom, vigorously representing her clients. Her experience extends to a variety of complex trial matters with current focus on catastrophic injury litigation including medical negligence and malpractice, defective products, mass tort, and vaccine litigation.
Irene McLafferty is an experienced litigator, licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She is a member of the Bars of the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States Court of Federal Claims; the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and the United States District Court for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey.
Ms. McLafferty has been in the courtroom from her earliest days as a lawyer, first as a law clerk to the Honorable G. Craig Lord in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and subsequently as an Assistant District Attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She litigated cases as a trial team member and was quickly promoted to serve as the Chief of the Juvenile Division of the District Attorney’s Office. She subsequently was appointed and served as the Chief of Trials for the Sex Crime Division. She was honored and received the District Attorney’s award for trial excellence as Chief of the Sex Crime Unit.
Anthony C. Gagliano
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
A top-rated personal injury attorney with a five-star rating, Anthony has been helping injury victims in a wide range of legal matters for over 15 years. Anthony knows that suffering an injury in any kind of accident due to someone else’s negligence is not only painful and debilitating, but can also take an emotional toll on the victims and their families.
Unlike most other law firms, Anthony is always sure to return calls from his current and prospective clients within 24 hours.
Duane Morris Plaza, 30 S 17th St Suite 810, Philadelphia, PA 19103
267-861-7100
www.acginjurylaw.com
Heidi G. Villari
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Heidi G. Villari is the principal shareholder of The Villari Firm, LLC, a personal injury law firm representing plaintiffs in personal injury, birth injury, medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, and wrongful death actions. She has over 20 years of trial experience representing people who are catastrophically injured. Ms. Villari is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey and actively practices personal injury law in both states. However, her primary office is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was born and raised.
While she has experience in many types of injury law, Ms. Villari most enjoys handling cases where children have been injured. She believes that the work done in pediatric cases can greatly improve the lives of innocent children who have been harmed.
Ms. Villari has obtained over $130 million in settlements and awards during her time as a personal injury lawyer. One of Ms. Villari’s most notable successes is an $11 million jury verdict in Buck County, Pennsylvania, involving a woman who suffered a tear during childbirth, causing urinary and fecal incontinence. She also achieved an $8 million result in a helicopter crash case that caused partial paralysis of her client. Other notable settlements include a $20 million settlement for an obstetrical injury and a $12 million settlement in a bus accident case.
Ms. Villari’s legal career has been diverse. She first practiced law on the defense side, where she was one of the first young female partners. She then switched to the plaintiff side of personal injury law, where her focus included catastrophic loss, wrongful death, and medical malpractice. Ms. Villari’s diverse training, legal experience, and aggressive approach have resulted in several favorable outcomes for clients.
Judy Greenwood
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Judy Greenwood went to law school to be able to help people. She found her calling fighting for justice for seriously injured men, women, and children who were victims of malpractice and medical negligence. She is intelligent, energetic, strategic, and caring. She is a highly skilled trial lawyer, who will always have your back.
With over 40+ years of experience fighting for injured clients, Judy has consistently received the highest possible rating for professional excellence, communication skills, and integrity by judges and lawyers as an AV preeminent lawyer, and has been recognized as a “Best Lawyer” by US News and World Report. The National Trial Lawyers Association has named her a top 100 Trial Lawyer and the National Women Trial Lawyers Association has named her a Top 25 Women Trial Lawyer in Pennsylvania. She has been recognized by the National Law Journal and the Legal Network as a top rated lawyer in Pennsylvania, and has been listed by Arrive Magazine as one of the Top Women Lawyers in the Northeast. She was named a Fellow with the Litigation Counsel of America for her proven trial skills.
Judy founded the Law Offices of Judy Greenwood, P.C. in 1993 and has litigated catastrophic personal injury cases, with an emphasis on men, women, and children’s injuries, since she began her practice. Most of her cases are malpractice cases involving the mistakes of doctors, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes, health care providers and facilities, as well as the safety failures of those systems in causing serious harm, but she has had great success for her clients in all manner of personal injury cases. Her clients say she is great to work with and always keeps you informed.
Judy graduated from Temple University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree and from Rutgers University with a Juris Doctor degree in 1975. After graduating from law school she worked as a public interest lawyer litigating on behalf of indigent clients in both state and federal court. She then joined the firm of Bernstein, Bernstein, & Harrison, where she became a partner and successfully litigated cases involving medical negligence, including cancer mis-diagnosis, ob-gyn malpractice, and surgical error, along with general personal injury cases.
Adam S. Getson
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
In addition to advocating for his clients at Wapner Newman, Mr. Getson is a certified Arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Getson also can be found lecturing at Continuing Legal Education Seminars and other educational forums.
When not involved in the practice of law, Mr. Getson is focused on his other passion in life, his family.
Ashley Oakey
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Attorney Ashley Oakey is passionate about representing Plaintiffs who were injured as a result of another person’s negligence. Ms. Oakey has represented hundreds of clients in a variety of civil matters, ranging from car accidents, to slip and fall or trip and fall accidents. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Oakey also worked as a trial attorney at one of the largest personal injury firms in Philadelphia. Her past experience includes a brief period working for an insurance defense firm, which means she knows how defense attorneys think, and how insurance companies defend against lawsuits.
She now uses that experience to better assist her clients in obtaining great trial verdicts and settlements. Ms. Oakey began her career as an Assistant Public Defender in Philadelphia where she tried hundreds of criminal cases, defending clients who were charged with a variety of offenses ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Ms. Oakey was born in Maryland and attended college at James Madison University in Virginia where she graduated with a Bachelors in Business Administration, majoring in Marketing.
She then attended law school at Widener University School of Law where she was a member of the Moot Court Honors Society, was elected to the Student Bar Association Executive Board and graduated with a certificate in Trial Advocacy.
Jill Johnston
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Since joining The Beasley Firm, Jill has become a seasoned trial lawyer while also focusing her practice on providing injured clients with all of the support and information they need to navigate the complex and unfamiliar litigation process. She has represented clients in a variety of cases including catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, birth injuries, serious motor vehicle accidents, business and contract disputes, law firm partnership breakups, employment matters and more. To date, the cases Jill has worked on have a total settlement/verdict value of approximately $100 million.
Recently, Jill was part of the trial team that obtained a $43.5 million verdict for former Philadelphia Eagles’ Captain Chris Maragos as a result of medical negligence by the ex-head team physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Eagles’ own team physicians from Rothman Orthopaedics.
She and Dion Rassias also obtained a $3 million verdict on behalf of a client who was injured while working as a waitress when she was grabbed by the neck and kissed by a restaurant patron, a historic verdict which punctuates the #metoo movement in eastern Pennsylvania.
Wade Suthard
Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Wade Suthard is a successful trial lawyer admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and State of New Jersey, as well as the Federal District Courts of New Jersey, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Wade joined the Reiff Law Firm in 2015 as of counsel attorney.
In 2010, Mr. Suthard was recognized by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a “Certified Civil Trial Attorney”. This recognition is earned by less than 5% of New Jersey Attorneys, and is based on professional accomplishments, peer and judicial recommendations, and a written exam. He was re-certified in 2015 and 2020.
Mr. Suthard has also been selected as one of the top 100 trial lawyers from New Jersey by the National Trial Lawyers Association every year since 2013. Membership in the National Trial Lawyers Association is by invitation only. Wade has also been named a “Super Lawyer” by New Jersey magazine for the past 10 years, 2011-2022.
In 2009, Mr. Suthard was inducted into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for his work on a medical malpractice case involving a severe birth injury. Membership is limited to Attorneys who have acted as principal counsel in a case that has received a verdict, award or settlement in the amount of $1,000,000 or more. Currently there are approximately 4000 members, which is less than 1% of the attorneys in the United States.
Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, is not immune to medical errors and malpractice incidents that can shatter lives and devastate families. In such dire circumstances, the services of the best medical malpractice lawyers become indispensable. This article explores the qualities that set the top medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia apart and how they play a crucial role in seeking justice and compensation for victims of medical negligence.
The Role of Medical Malpractice Lawyers:
Before we delve into the qualities of the best medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia, it’s essential to understand their pivotal role in the legal landscape:
- Legal Advocacy: Medical malpractice lawyers serve as staunch legal advocates for victims of medical negligence, helping them navigate complex legal procedures to seek compensation.
- Investigation: They meticulously investigate the circumstances of the alleged malpractice, collect medical records, consult with experts, and build a compelling case on behalf of their clients.
- Negotiation Skills: Medical malpractice attorneys negotiate with insurance companies and medical institutions to secure fair settlements for their clients. They are adept at reaching favorable outcomes through negotiation.
- Litigation Experience: In cases where negotiations fail, the best medical malpractice lawyers are seasoned trial attorneys, ready to present strong arguments and evidence in court to seek justice for their clients.
- Emotional Support: These lawyers provide not only legal assistance but also emotional support, guiding clients through the distressing process of seeking justice for medical malpractice.
Qualities of the Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Philadelphia:
So, what distinguishes the best medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia from the rest? Let’s explore the key attributes and qualities that define these legal professionals:
- Expertise in Medical Malpractice Law:
- The best medical malpractice lawyers possess in-depth knowledge of medical malpractice laws and regulations, as well as a deep understanding of various medical negligence cases.
- Experience Matters:
- Years of experience handling medical malpractice cases is a vital indicator of a lawyer’s proficiency. These lawyers have a proven track record of securing compensation for their clients in similar situations.
- Local Knowledge:
- Familiarity with Philadelphia’s legal landscape, local courts, judges, and healthcare institutions is a significant advantage. The best medical malpractice lawyers understand the nuances of the city’s unique legal environment.
- Effective Communication Skills:
- Effective communication is paramount in the legal field. The best attorneys can explain complex medical and legal matters in plain language, ensuring their clients fully comprehend their options and strategies.
- Negotiation Skills:
- Many medical malpractice cases are resolved through negotiation. The best lawyers excel in negotiation, striving to secure favorable settlements for their clients.
- Litigation Experience:
- While not all cases go to court, the best lawyers are prepared for trials and are known for their adeptness in representing their clients’ interests in the courtroom.
- Client-Centered Approach:
- Top medical malpractice lawyers prioritize their clients’ interests and well-being. They listen to their clients’ concerns, address their questions, and tailor their strategies to the unique circumstances of each case.
- Track Record of Success:
- Look for attorneys with a history of securing favorable outcomes, whether through settlements, jury verdicts, or court rulings, in medical malpractice cases similar to yours.
- Transparent Fees:
- The best medical malpractice lawyers are transparent about their fees and billing practices, ensuring clients have a clear understanding of the costs involved.
- Empathy and Compassion:
- Victims of medical malpractice often suffer emotionally and physically. The best attorneys approach their clients with empathy and compassion, recognizing the pain and suffering involved.
- Medical Expertise:
- Some top medical malpractice lawyers have a background in medicine, allowing them to better understand and evaluate medical records and expert opinions in malpractice cases.
How the Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help:
Now that we’ve outlined the qualities of the best medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia, let’s explore how they can assist victims of medical negligence in various situations:
- Surgical Errors:
- Medical malpractice lawyers can represent patients who have suffered harm due to surgical errors, seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
- Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis:
- Attorneys help patients who have received incorrect diagnoses or experienced delays in diagnosis, pursuing claims against negligent healthcare providers.
- Medication Errors:
- They assist individuals harmed by medication errors, seeking compensation for injuries caused by prescription or administration mistakes.
- Birth Injuries:
- Medical malpractice lawyers advocate for families whose children have suffered birth injuries due to medical negligence, helping them seek compensation for ongoing care and medical expenses.
- Anesthesia Errors:
- Attorneys represent individuals who have experienced complications due to anesthesia errors, seeking compensation for the resulting injuries.
- Failure to Obtain Informed Consent:
- They pursue claims for patients who have not been adequately informed about the risks and benefits of a medical procedure, treatment, or surgery.
Conclusion:
In the historic city of Philadelphia, the best medical malpractice lawyers are tireless champions for victims of medical negligence. Their expertise, experience, and unwavering commitment to seeking justice for their clients make them invaluable allies in the pursuit of fair compensation and accountability. Whether through negotiation, settlement, or courtroom representation, the best medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia work diligently to ensure that victims of medical negligence receive the support and legal expertise needed to navigate the challenging path to justice and healing.