Easily preventable medical mistakes are the third leading cause of deaths in the United States. That does not necessarily mean that the injury you have suffered as a result of medical mistake immediately qualifies as medical malpractice under Maryland’s law. Medical malpractice lawsuits must meet highly specific criteria to qualify as viable cases. Understanding the specific requirements of medical malpractice lawsuits is crucial to determining whether the injury you or a family member has suffered merits legal action. Our team of Maryland medical malpractice lawyers has provided a helpful list of five things you need to know about medical malpractice in the state of Maryland. Review the list below before contacting our experts to discuss your specific case.

Five Things To Know About Medical Malpractice In Maryland

  1. Most Common Cases: When determining whether your injuries qualify as medical malpractice, consider whether you have suffered any of the following. These are the top four types of medical malpractice cases in Maryland.
    1. Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose
    2. Failure to properly administer treatment
    3. Improperly prescribing medications for illnesses – either the wrong medication or the wrong dosage is prescribed
    4. Failure to inform the patient about the risks associated with a procedure or medication
  2. Standard of Care: When a medical professional fails to offer the legally recognized and required standard of care, he or she can be held accountable for medical malpractice. What does standard of care mean? Standard of Care is the set of generally accepted practices and protocols for treating specific illnesses under the same or similar circumstances.
  3. Statute of Limitations: The Statute of Limitations in medical malpractice cases refers to the time period in which a patient can legally bring a medical malpractice claim to court. Generally speaking, in Maryland, patients are required to bring lawsuits to court within five years from the date when the medical professional caused the injury, or three years from the date in which the injury was discovered, whichever time period is shorter.
  4. Types of Damages: In Maryland, there are two types of compensatory damages that can be awarded. These are economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those that are awarded to cover lost wages and medical bills. Non-economic damages are those awarded to Compensate the victim for physical pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and loss of quality of life.
  5. The Importance of Contacting An Attorney: Maryland medical malpractice lawsuits are incredibly complicated and require an attorney with legal expertise. Hiring an attorney can mean the difference between spending years in complicated litigation without any compensation awarded and seeing justice served.

If you believe you have been the victim of medical malpractice, contact the Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. legal team at 1-410-234-1000. Legal counsel will review your case, advise you on the best course of action, and litigate on your behalf.