Paula A. KoczanPartner, Medical Malpractice Group Managing Partner & Managing Partner - Pittsburgh Office AssistantJennifer Caldwell 412.281.4541 Ext. 4593 jcaldwell@wglaw.com Paula Koczan defends healthcare providers in medical malpractice and licensure actions. She has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts.
Paula, who is a registered nurse, also handles nursing home cases as well as prisoners’ civil rights actions and product and general liability matters. Her clients include hospitals, physicians, advanced practice nurses and physician groups and their employees.
Since 2008, Paula has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the area of medical malpractice law – defendants. In 2019, Paula was featured as a top Medical Malpractice Attorney by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. Paula has been named as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2010.
Paula was selected for membership in the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Western Pennsylvania as well as the International Association of Defense Attorneys and served as a faculty member at the IADC’s Trial Academy held at Stanford.
Paula A. KoczanPartner, Medical Malpractice Group Managing Partner & Managing Partner - Pittsburgh Office Paula Koczan defends healthcare providers in medical malpractice and licensure actions. She has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts.
Paula, who is a registered nurse, also handles nursing home cases as well as prisoners’ civil rights actions and product and general liability matters. Her clients include hospitals, physicians, advanced practice nurses and physician groups and their employees.
Since 2008, Paula has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the area of medical malpractice law – defendants. In 2019, Paula was featured as a top Medical Malpractice Attorney by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. Paula has been named as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2010.
Paula was selected for membership in the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Western Pennsylvania as well as the International Association of Defense Attorneys and served as a faculty member at the IADC’s Trial Academy held at Stanford.
ExperienceDefended medical negligence action where the defendant physician was alleged to have been negligent in failing to properly diagnose and treat a woman’s post- surgical infection, which followed a bilateral breast augmentation and tummy tuck procedure. As a result of infection, both breast implants were removed and the abdominal incision opened and allowed to heal by secondary intention.
Defended a wrongful death and survival action arising from the care and treatment which the defendant physician provided to decedent, following admission to the hospital for what was diagnosed as pneumonia and possible CHF. After a five day admission, the patient was discharged. Within hours of his arrival at home, he experienced cardiac arrest. Despite appropriate resuscitation he could not be revived. A subsequently performed autopsy revealed the cause of death to be sudden cardiac death.
Defended medical negligence action arising from a doctor’s treatment of a woman’s right forearm, slightly displaced inter-articular distal avulsion fracture. The doctor’s treatment included a closed reduction and pinning of the right distal radial fracture. Post-operatively, the pin backed out and the fracture collapsed down and shortened. The patient was subsequently seen by another surgeon who repaired her right wrist deformity. The first doctor was alleged to have been negligent in performing the surgery without adequate fixation to prevent a collapse of the fracture.
Speaking Engagements- 05.18.23Speaker, "2023 Professional Liability Roundtable," International Association of Defense Counsel
Selected Cases
- Wytiaz v. Deitrick, 954 A. 2d 643 (Pa. Super 2008)
Professional & Community InvolvementAcademy of Trial Lawyers- Board of Directors 2009-2010
Allegheny County Bar Association
IADC (International Association of Defense Council)
Paula has won the following awards
- Inducted by nomination and peer review to The Best Lawyers in America – Medical Malpractice Law, 2018 - Current
AssistantJennifer Caldwell 412.281.4541 Ext. 4593 jcaldwell@wglaw.com |