If you believe that you or your loved one has suffered from medical negligence in regard to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), it is important to reach out to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who can help. At Arfaa Law Group, we can examine the circumstances of your DVT and help you explore your legal rights and options.
According to the Mayo Clinic, DVT takes place when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in a person’s body, typically in the legs, although it can also develop in the lower part of the body below the pelvis. DVT can cause leg pain and swelling, but it can also occur without any symptoms. While DVT can sometimes resolve on its own, DVT can be life-threatening if the blood clot dislodges and travels to the lungs, which is a condition known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). A pulmonary embolism can be fatal because it blocks the artery in the lung, cutting off the blood supply completely. A smaller clot can reduce blood flow and cause damage to the lung tissue.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that while the precise number of people affected by DVT/PE is unknown, as many as 900,000 could be affected each year in the United States. The CDC also estimates that 60,000 to 100,000 people die of DVT/PE each year. Of these deaths, 10 to 30 percent of people will die within one month of the diagnosis. Sudden death is the first symptom in approximately one-quarter of people who have PE.
DVT can develop if a person has certain medical conditions that affect how that particular individual’s blood clots. DVT can also occur if a person fails to move for a long period of time, such as after surgery, following an accident, or when a person is confined to a hospital bed.
Physicians should provide their patients with the information they need to manage and prevent DVT. If they do not, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Medical malpractice takes place when a medical professional fails to adhere to the standard of care that a reasonably prudent medical professional in the same specialty would have met under the same or similar circumstances. In order to establish medical malpractice, the plaintiff must prove the following points: i) the physician owed a duty of care to the patient; ii) the physician breached the duty of care owed to the patient; iii) the physician’s breach was a direct and proximate cause of the patient’s harm; and iv) the patient suffered damages as a result.
Due to the strong link between surgery and DVT, a physician will typically evaluate each patient’s risk of developing DVT before surgery by going over a number of factors. If a patient has a high risk of DVT, blood thinners will often be prescribed. Failing to prescribe blood thinners to a patient with a high risk of DVT is just one example of potential malpractice.
If you believe that you or someone close to you suffered from DVT due to a medical professional’s negligence, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the at-fault party. At Arfaa Law Group, our diligent Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can thoroughly review the facts of your case and determine the viability of your claim. We will be here to answer your questions and address your concerns. To discuss with one of our attorneys in more detail, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.
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