You may be shocked to learn that medical malpractice is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. Medical errors are also the cause of countless patient injuries in Maryland and across the country. Often, these injuries and deaths are entirely preventable. If you have suffered harm caused by a doctor’s mistake, we can assist you in figuring out your legal options. As experienced Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers, we will tirelessly fight for your right to compensation.
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that doctors with poor medical malpractice track records may be an increased hazard to patient welfare. The research revealed that out of 480,000 health care providers in the U.S., just 2.3 percent of doctors were responsible for almost 39 percent of paid medical malpractice claims between the years of 2003 and 2015. In other words, a small number of physicians are responsible for a disproportionately high number of medical malpractice claims.
In addition, the study found that physicians with numerous medical malpractice claims are more likely to move into smaller practices. For instance, doctors with five or more claims were more than twice as likely to go into solo practice than doctors with no claims. Smaller practices tend to have less oversight than larger ones. This is especially problematic because employers, rather than patients, are the ones who typically vet a physician’s medical record when they are hiring. As a result, patients just walk into these smaller practices, completely unaware of the physician’s subpar safety record.
If you have been injured by a medical professional’s error, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against that medical professional. In order to prove medical malpractice, the plaintiff has to establish the following elements: i) the doctor owed the patient a duty of care; ii) the doctor breached the duty of care owed to the patient; and iii) the doctor’s breach was a direct and proximate cause of the patient’s injury and resulting losses.
To show that a doctor owed a patient a duty of care, you must point to a doctor-patient relationship. To show that a doctor breached the duty of care, you must show that the doctor’s conduct deviated from what a reasonably prudent doctor would have done in the same or a similar situation. Lastly, you must show that the doctor’s conduct was a direct cause of the patient’s injury or harm. In other words, had the doctor behaved differently, the outcome would have been different.
When medical professionals make mistakes, the consequences can be devastating. If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one due to a medical professional’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys are committed to resolving your case in the most effective and efficient way possible. We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns. For more information, do not hesitate to call us today at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.