Maryland Accident Law Firm
Where Compassionate Care Meets Aggressive Advocacy
Medical malpractice can lead to some of the most life-changing, tragic injuries. If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a medical professional’s negligence or inappropriate care, you need skilled legal representation. When you trust a healthcare provider, you have the right to expect a certain level of care. When doctors or their institutions fail, the consequences can last a lifetime. Medical errors not only cause physical injuries but also overwhelming emotional and financial burdens. An experienced Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer can protect your rights and fight for you to get the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today if you were harmed by a medical mistake. We proudly serve clients in the Baltimore metropolitan area, across Maryland, and Virginia.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional injures a patient or causes their illness to worsen with inappropriate or unacceptable care according to industry standards. Medical mistakes are considered medical malpractice if they breach a duty of care. Medical malpractice also applies to cases of incompetence. For example, if a doctor attempted a procedure without the requisite training and experience or prescribed the wrong medication to a patient, they may be subject to a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Medical negligence refers to any behavior that is grossly substandard from how a reasonable healthcare provider in the same position would have acted. All medical malpractice cases have an element of negligence at their core. Injuring a patient due to a lack of attention or care may be considered medical negligence. A knowledgeable Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer can review your case and determine the best course of action.
What Are Common Medical Mistakes?
Many different types of medical mistakes occur from negligence. Retaining an experienced lawyer in the Baltimore metropolitan area as soon as possible is critical if you or a loved one has been injured due to a medical provider’s negligence, mistake, or incompetency.
Common types of medical malpractice cases include:
- Failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis: Doctors are trained to review your medical history and health condition carefully. When a doctor fails to diagnose a serious disease such as cancer or misdiagnoses it as something else, it can impact treatment options, shorten life expectancy, and even cause death.
- Surgical errors: Surgical errors happen far too often and in various ways. If a surgeon does not have the required experience, performs surgery on the wrong part of the body, or leaves a medical instrument in the body cavity, it can cause severe or fatal injuries.
- Anesthesia errors: If a doctor makes one misstep in administering anesthesia to a patient, it can cause chronic pain and other serious consequences. Patients who suffer harm after being given an improper dosage or delayed delivery of anesthesia may have a medical malpractice claim.
- Prescription errors: Medical professionals who write the wrong prescription, administer the wrong drug, or supply an incorrect dose can cause dangerous injuries to patients. Competent doctors and nurses should be able to avoid prescription errors.
- Contaminated injections: Contaminated injections can lead to serious injuries, including infections and fungal meningitis. If these injuries are not treated promptly, they can lead to death.
- Birth injuries: Some of the most tragic injuries are those that occur during the delivery of an infant. Birth injuries are often permanent and can lead to lifelong medical care and emotional trauma.
- Failure to treat: When a doctor fails to treat a patient’s medical condition properly, it can lead to irreparable harm. Serious health issues that a medical provider does not address can have devastating and costly consequences.
- Post-surgical and hospital-acquired infections: Hospitals and surgical centers should all be cleaned regularly and to a high standard to prevent infections from harming patients. Infections that develop after surgeries and in hospitals can be deadly.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Medical Malpractice in Maryland?
Medical malpractice cases can be complex and often involve multiple defendants. Liability is a key aspect in these kinds of cases. A skilled lawyer can help identify all liable parties and fight to hold them accountable.
Liable parties in a Maryland medical malpractice case may include:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Surgeons
- Anesthesiologists
- Specialists
- Aides and assistants
- Medical technicians
- Hospitals
- Surgical centers
- Nursing homes
- Mental health professionals
- Dentists
- Healthcare companies
How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Claim in Maryland?
The statute of limitations in Maryland to file a medical malpractice claim is three years. The three years start running on the date that you discovered or should have discovered the injury resulting from the medical malpractice. However, there are exceptions to Maryland’s three-year rule. If the patient was a minor at the time of the injury, they have until their 21st birthday to file a claim. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can ensure your claim is filed according to state rules.
How Much Is My Medical Malpractice Case Worth?
Every medical malpractice case is unique in its circumstances, making it difficult to calculate the exact value of a claim. The national average award for medical malpractice lawsuits is about $250,000, including settlements and verdicts. In Maryland, particularly Baltimore, the average settlement value of a medical malpractice case is substantially higher than the national average.
What Damages Can I Recover in a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
No two instances of medical malpractice are alike, and injuries can range from minor to lifelong or fatal. If you or a loved one was harmed by medical malpractice in Maryland, you may be able to pursue economic and non-economic damages. If your medical provider acted with gross negligence, you might also be awarded punitive damages designed to punish the individual and deter others from the same egregious behavior.
Damages you may be eligible for include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Loss of wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Decreased enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death
How Can a Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyer Help Me With My Case?
Medical malpractice cases are sensitive and require compassionate yet aggressive representation. Often lengthy and complex, medical malpractice lawsuits should be handled with the utmost diligence and care. A dedicated Maryland medical malpractice lawyer can protect your rights and best interests at every step of the process.
A Maryland medical malpractice lawyer can do the following:
- Review and discuss your case.
- Investigate the medical malpractice that caused you harm.
- Identify liable defendants.
- Review your medical records and consult with experts.
- Gather necessary evidence to prove your case.
- Negotiate a favorable settlement when possible.
- Be prepared to take your case to trial for a jury verdict.
The sooner you retain the services of a medical malpractice lawyer, the sooner your lawsuit can be filed in pursuit of justice and compensation. An experienced Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer knows the state laws and rules and can argue your case.
Our Experienced Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Maryland Accident Law Firm Can Fight to Protect Your Rights and Financial Future
Our skilled Maryland medical malpractice lawyers at Maryland Accident Law Firm can provide the representation you need to win even the most complex medical malpractice case. If you or a loved one was harmed as the result of negligent or inappropriate medical care, fill out our online form here. Located in Baltimore, we serve clients throughout Maryland and northern Virginia.