UPMC Western Maryland, formerly known as Western Maryland Regional Medical Center, is a 275-bed hospital located in Cumberland, Maryland, in Allegany County. It is the designated Areawide Trauma Center for the region and operates under the umbrella of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system following a 2020 merger. This facility serves as the primary hospital for a large rural population across Western Maryland, parts of West Virginia, and southern Pennsylvania.

UPMC Western Maryland is a full-service hospital, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient care. The facility includes a Heart Institute, a Level III Emergency Department, and numerous specialty units. Its Emergency Department treats approximately 4,500 patients per month and is staffed by emergency physicians, trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, and critical care specialists. The hospital also maintains a dedicated ICU, an inpatient rehab unit, and various subspecialty clinics.

Notable Services Offered

The hospital provides a comprehensive array of services, including:

Behavioral and Mental Health
Dialysis and Renal Services
Cancer Care
Home Health and Hospice
Sleep Medicine
Respiratory and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Domestic and Sexual Violence Services
Outpatient Observation Unit
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Diabetes, COPD, and Anticoagulation Management (via the Center for Clinical Resources)
Wound Care and Nutrition Services
Breastfeeding and Lactation Counseling

UPMC Western Maryland also operates primary care centers in Cumberland and LaVale, along with urgent care locations in Frostburg, MD and Short Gap, WV, which extend its reach into neighboring rural communities.

Reported Quality and Performance

While UPMC Western Maryland has received recognition in the past—for example, Healthgrades once listed it among America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery—its overall Medicare star rating currently stands at three out of five, indicating average performance by federal standards and pretty much what it was when UPMC took over the hospital.

Our law firm has investigated claims involving care received at this facility. These include allegations of delayed diagnoses, surgical errors, inadequate monitoring, and improper treatment protocols, particularly in emergency and perinatal settings. The hospital’s rural location and limited access to tertiary care specialists can, unfortunately, heighten the risk when systems fail or providers do not follow standard protocols.

Legal Defense Team for UPMC Western Maryland

UPMC Western Maryland is typically represented in medical malpractice cases by the law firm Geppert, McMullen, Paye & Getty, located in Cumberland, Maryland. Two attorneys from the firm, Matthew Gilmore and Jeffrey Getty, have routinely defended the hospital and its staff in malpractice litigation.

J. Matthew Gilmore, who has served as General Counsel for UPMC Western Maryland, oversees many legal matters on behalf of the hospital, including the defense of claims brought against its providers.
Jeffrey Getty, a longtime partner at the same firm, is often listed as defense counsel in medical negligence cases involving this facility.

This is a good law firm that is well known in Allegany County and across Western Maryland for representing healthcare institutions. If you file a claim against UPMC Western Maryland, it is likely that these attorneys, or others from their firm, will be on the other side of the case.

Frequently Asked Questions About UPMC Western Maryland Malpractice Claims

Has UPMC Western Maryland been sued for surgical errors?

Yes, there have been malpractice claims involving retained surgical instruments, operating on the wrong site, and post-operative infections that were not promptly diagnosed. These cases often hinge on whether hospital protocols were followed and documented properly.

Are there any known cases of delayed cancer diagnosis at UPMC Western Maryland?

Yes. Claims have been filed related to missed cancer diagnoses, especially in radiology and pathology reports. One pattern involves abnormal imaging results not being communicated to the patient or primary care provider in time for effective treatment.

What emergency room malpractice claims have been brought against UPMC Western Maryland?

Several lawsuits have focused on ER care, including failure to diagnose heart attacks, sepsis mismanagement, and discharge of patients with serious conditions without adequate testing. These cases often involve short ER stays followed by rapid deterioration after discharge.

Unlike most hospitals, the Emergency Room is owned and operated directly by UPMC Western Maryland. Since UPMC bought the hospital, emergency services have remained in-house, meaning they are not outsourced to a third-party contractor such as TeamHealth, Envision, or other private ER staffing groups that are common in some hospitals.

Has UPMC Western Maryland faced claims involving nursing home or rehab facility errors?

Yes. UPMC-affiliated long-term care and rehab units have seen claims involving pressure ulcers, falls, and medication errors. Many of these involve patients who were transferred to Western Maryland from other UPMC locations or local nursing homes under their management umbrella.

What should I do if I suspect malpractice at UPMC Western Maryland?

Start by documenting everything: dates, names, and what happened. Request your full medical record and consult an attorney experienced with UPMC-related claims. Our team can review the facts at no cost and help determine if you have a case worth pursuing.

What to Expect When You File a Claim Against UPMC Western Maryland

Filing a malpractice claim against UPMC Western Maryland may feel overwhelming, especially if you have never dealt with a legal process before. Here is what you can expect if you decide to pursue a case.

1. Timeline of a Typical Claim

The process usually begins with a full review of your medical records. This includes hospital charts, doctor’s notes, test results, and imaging. Once we have all the records, we consult with independent medical experts to determine if the care you received violated the standard of care. If the expert supports the claim, we file a lawsuit, typically in Allegany County Circuit Court or federal court if appropriate. After filing, the case enters a discovery phase where both sides exchange documents, take depositions, and prepare for trial. Some cases settle before trial, but others continue through to a verdict.

2. Who You Sue

Depending on what happened, the claim may be filed against the hospital itself, individual physicians, or nursing staff.

UPMC Western Maryland may be liable for systemic failures, emergency care issues, or mistakes by employees.
Individual doctors can be sued, especially if they are independent contractors or outside specialists.
Nurses and support staff may also be part of the claim if their actions or omissions contributed to the injury. These are typically handled through the hospital’s liability coverage if the staff were employees.

3. Role of Medical Experts

Maryland law requires a qualified medical expert to certify that your case has merit. This expert must sign a Certificate of Merit stating that the treatment you received likely fell below the accepted standard of care. We work with board-certified physicians—often from top institutions like Johns Hopkins or the University of Maryland—to provide an outside opinion and testify if needed.

4. Maryland’s Cap on Non-Economic Damages

Maryland places a limit on non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits, which include pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and emotional distress. As of 2025, the cap is around $910,000 in most malpractice cases. If the case involves a wrongful death with multiple beneficiaries and a survival action, that cap can exceed $1 million. There is no cap on economic damages, which means you can recover the full value of medical bills, lost income, and other financial losses.

Obtaining a Lawyer for Your Hospital Malpractice Claim

If you have been a patient at Western Maryland Health Center and sustained an injury as a result of either doctor or nurse negligence, contact our lawyers at Miller and Zois today. We can help you evaluate the options for your potential claim and explain to you what the roadmap to compensation will look like for you. You can go online for a free consultation or call us at 800-553-8082.

Western Maryland Regional Medical Center | Medical Malpractice Claims