Medical Malpractice

Laboratory Errors in Maryland

Published on: December 20, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

When we consult a health care provider for a medical issue, we expect to receive competent care. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Every year, a number of patients in Maryland and across the United States are injured due to medical malpractice, some of which stems from laboratory errors. If you or someone close to you has suffered harm due to a laboratory error, it is important to reach out to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. We will analyze the facts of the case and determine the viability of your claim.

While protocols and procedures are put into place to prevent laboratory errors, the reality is that they happen more often than you may think. Laboratory mistakes can take place in a number or ways. Common causes of laboratory errors can result from any of the following incidents or others:

Running the wrong tests;
Mixing up patient samples;
Mixing up patient information;
Mislabeling samples;
Recording inaccurate information;
Improperly transcribing records;
Technicians making errors in reading or interpreting results;
Failing to report test results; or
Failing to order the necessary follow up tests.

Laboratory errors can lead to a patient being misdiagnosed, a serious condition being overlooked, or a patient even being confused with another patient and undergoing incorrect treatment. When a patient suffers physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of a laboratory error, that patient can take legal action by filing a medical malpractice claim against the at-fault party.

Genetic Testing Malpractice in Maryland

Published on: December 12, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

Most parents in Maryland and across the United States want their children to have the best chance at living a healthy life. With genetic testing becoming more and more commonplace, obstetricians routinely offer genetic testing so that parents have all the information ahead of time about whether or not their child has a certain genetic condition. In some cases, genetic testing is not offered when it should have been – depriving parents of the right to be informed. In other cases, a health care provider incorrectly interprets the results of genetic testing.

With proper medical care, many birth defects can be prevented. Doctors have an obligation to consult with patients regarding any family history of genetic defects. Genetic testing is typically done if one or both parents have a hereditary medical problem or have other children with a genetic defect. In these cases, genetic testing is a way to help families make informed decisions and avoid potentially life-threatening health problems.

When a doctor fails to identify a genetic abnormality, a child may be born with a serious genetic condition, such as sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, or other conditions.

Malpractice Cases Arising from Overlapping Surgeries in Maryland

Published on: November 18, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

The idea of surgery naturally makes people nervous. The surgeon performing the surgery is typically the one who addresses the patient’s fears and gives the patient an understanding of what he or she is to expect. While patients have a lot of fears about surgery, they may not even realize that the surgeon may be booked for multiple surgeries at the same time. If you have been injured during surgery, it is important to reach out to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who can analyze the facts of your case and determine the cause of your harm.

Overlapping surgeries, also sometimes referred to as concurrent surgeries, occur when an attending surgeon is responsible for multiple surgeries in multiple operating rooms at the same time for at least part of the procedure. This is more common than you may think. In fact, in some places, this is a standard procedure intended to maximize a surgeon’s efficiency. For example, a surgeon may start one procedure, and before it is complete, typically with just stitches remaining to be performed by residents or trained physicians’ assistants, will start another procedure.

According to an investigative report by the Boston Globe, more than 44 medical issues arose due to overlapping surgeries between 2005 and 2015. In one case, a patient was left paralyzed after a spinal surgery. The surgeon performing the procedure was claimed to have been performing another procedure at around the same time. Due to problems such as this one, the American College of Surgeons has released new guidelines on this issue, one of them being that overlapping surgeries should not be taking place at all.

Can You Sue Your Doctor for an Opioid Addiction in Maryland?

Published on: November 9, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

Many Americans in Maryland and across the United States struggle with chronic pain. To help patients manage their pain, doctors often prescribe medications. While these medications can be extremely effective, they can also be addictive. If you or someone close to you has developed a dependency on prescription pain medication due to a doctor overprescribing such medication, you may be entitled to seek damages through a medical malpractice claim. We can thoroughly examine the facts of your case and determine whether or not you have a viable legal claim.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin as well as the legal prescription pain relievers known as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, and more. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), of the 21.5 million Americans aged 12 or older who had a substance use disorder in 2014, 1.9 million had a substance use disorder involving prescription painkillers. ASAM also reports that drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 47,055 fatal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction makes up many of these deaths, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription painkillers.

The Concept of ‘Respondeat Superior’ in Maryland Medical Malpractice Cases

Published on: November 7, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

Medical malpractice claims are common in Maryland and throughout the United States. These claims are intended to hold negligent health care providers accountable for the harm that they cause. If you or someone close to you has been hurt due to a medical professional’s error or carelessness, we can help. At the Arfaa Law Group, our skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys have years of experience helping clients seek the compensation they deserve for their harm.

Medical malpractice claims are not strictly limited to your physician. In fact, they can be brought against nurses, dentists, osteopaths, chiropractors, and virtually any other health care provider. In order to establish medical malpractice, the plaintiff must show that the health care provider failed to follow the standard of care that another health care provider in the same specialty would have followed under the same or similar circumstances.

Falls in Maryland Hospitals

Published on: November 2, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

Making sure patients are safe is the responsibility of any health care provider. Unfortunately, each year, many patients in Maryland and throughout the United States are injured in falls that could have been prevented. These falls can seriously injure patients and interfere with their ability to make a full recovery. In fact, the fall can create entirely new medical problems for the patients. If you or someone close to you has been hurt in a fall in a hospital setting, it is important to seek the help and guidance of a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, up to 40 percent of all hospital accidents are falls that could have been prevented. A report by the New England Journal of Internal Medicine highlighted that between 2.3 and seven falls happen for every 1,000 patients in hospitals. In Maryland, hospitals are required to report serious ‘adverse events’ to the Maryland Office of Health Care Quality. Level 1 adverse events are the most serious category of adverse events. The most frequently reported adverse event for 2009 was falls, comprising 52 of the Level 1 adverse events. Fourteen of these falls resulted in death.

Physician Communication Errors in Maryland

Published on: October 25, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

When you go to see a doctor or any other health care provider, you expect competent care. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that medical errors, including communication errors, take place all the time. In some cases, these errors leave the patient’s condition untreated, while in other cases, they make the patient’s condition worse. If a medical professional has injured you or someone you love due to a communication failure, you may be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice claim.

Unfortunately, communication errors are a common form of medical malpractice. One report, entitled “Malpractice Risks in Communication Failures,” found that communication failures in the health care setting could be linked to many deaths each year. In fact, nearly 2,000 patient deaths and $1.7 billion in malpractice costs could have been avoided if there had been better communication between medical professionals and patients.

EMT Negligence in Maryland

Published on: October 19, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

Paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are first responders responsible for providing urgent medical care in emergency settings. We expect EMTs to improve the situation, not make it worse. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to the negligence of an EMT, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our EMT error lawyers can scrutinize the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.

In some cases, EMTs and first responders may have some immunity from lawsuits for good-faith efforts to revive a patient or treat serious wounds. However, they can still be sued for medical malpractice if they act or fail to act in certain ways. EMT errors can cause a patient to sustain further injuries or illnesses beyond those they were originally suffering. Examples of such errors include but are not limited to:

Failing to respond in a timely manner;
Failing to bring or use the correct equipment;
Making medication mistakes;
Failing to administer oxygen;
Failing to identify life-threatening conditions that need prompt action;
Failing to keep the ambulance equipment in functioning order; or
Failing to adhere to evaluation or treatment procedures.

Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawsuits against Chiropractors

Published on: October 13, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

According to the American Chiropractic Association, Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain. Back pain can interrupt many aspects of an individual’s day-to-day life, which is why many will turn to a chiropractor for help. While chiropractors offer medical treatment for more than just back pain, this is the reason why many patients initially visit. When you consult a chiropractor, you expect that your condition will improve, not get worse. Unfortunately, chiropractic malpractice happens quite often in Maryland and throughout the United States. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to a chiropractor’s negligence, it is important to seek the help and guidance of a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney.

Chiropractic work is a form of alternative medicine. A chiropractor is a health care professional focused on the diagnosis and treatment of misalignments of the joints. Specifically, chiropractors treat patients through manual adjustment or manipulation of the spine, which often is related to other disorders affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs. Most chiropractors aim to reduce pain and improve the functionality of patients.

Providing Adequate Medical Care to Deaf Patients in Maryland

Published on: September 28, 2016 | by Arfaa Law Group

When we go to the doctor for a health issue, we are typically able to communicate without any problems. For deaf patients, the reality can be very different. A simple conversation can become very difficult if effective communication options are not provided to the patient. In cases in which the medical issue is more complex, the necessity of effective communication becomes even more important to ensure that the deaf patient can understand the explanations provided by the physician and can also ask questions.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hearing loss can take place when any part of the ear is not working in the usual way. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) reports that approximately 15 percent of American adults aged 18 and over report some trouble with hearing loss. NIDCD also reports that about two percent of adults between the ages of 45 and 54 have disabling hearing loss. This number increases to nearly 25 percent in individuals aged 65 to 74 and 50 percent in individuals who are 75 years of age and older. Census estimates compiled by the Gallaudet Research Institute reveal that an estimated 55,000 Marylanders between 18 and 64 have a hearing disability.

While federal disability law, namely the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), requires hospitals to provide translations for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, many say it isn’t enough. Often, the translator is ineffective or does not stay for the entire visit. To address the problem, the United States Department of Justice launched the barrier-free health care initiative in 2012 and has filed many lawsuits against physicians, hospitals, and medical facilities for not accommodating the hard of hearing, although none of the cases has been in Maryland.