Maryland Accident Law Blog
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals are charged with the venerable duty to keep their patients healthy to the best of their ability. Of course, sometimes there is nothing that a medical professional can do to prevent illness or death, since it is the inevitable course of the human existence. However, sometimes the treatment that a medical professional provides raises questions, such as did the doctor do everything he could to diagnose the condition in time for effective treatment? Or was the patient adequately informed of the risks of the procedure prior to agreeing to go through with it?
In these cases, there may be a viable medical malpractice action against the medical professional. However, it is well known that these cases are complex and often involve expert testimony. For that reason, it is best to get an experienced medical malpractice attorney involved early in the process, preferably as soon as the patient notices that there may be something wrong.
A successful medical malpractice case requires, among other things, that the patient prove that the care provided by the medical professional fell below the accepted professional standards in the industry. Often, this is where the bulk of litigation occurs.
Determining the Standard of Care in Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
The legal determination of whether a doctor’s care fell below the acceptable standard is one that can only be made by a judge or jury. However, certain factors can weigh in on that decision. For example, a medical news source recently reported on the risks involved with certain sodium-glucose inhibitors commonly prescribed to diabetes patients. Evidently, the inhibitors can lead to potentially life-threatening diagnoses of urosepsis and pyelonephritis in some patients. Taking that into account, the FDA now recommends that physicians considering prescribing these inhibitors consider the risks of the medication prior to prescribing them to patients.
Articles such as the one mentioned above may influence the standard of care in a medical malpractice case because doctors are expected to stay up-to-date on new medical research. To the extent that a patient developed a serious illness after being prescribed a medication, it may come into question whether the physician reviewed the medical literature related to that specific course of treatment. If he or she did not, that may be some evidence of the physician’s negligence.
Do You Believe that You Have Been the Victim of Medical Malpractice?
If you or a loved one has recently been the victim of what you believe to be medical malpractice, you may be entitled to significant monetary compensation for all that you have been through. While each case is certainly different, it is not uncommon for successful plaintiffs to recover compensation for their past medical expenses, the cost of any future medical care related to their illness, and any pain and suffering they experienced as a result of the doctor’s negligence. To learn more about medical malpractice claims in Maryland, call 410-654-3600 to speak with a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney.
More Blog Posts:
Two Killed in Glen Burnie Head-On Collision; Alcohol Suspected to Be a Factor, Maryland Accident Law Blog, November 2, 2015.
U.S. Supreme Court Discusses Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act in Recent Decision, Maryland Accident Law Blog, December 8, 2015.