Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Baltimore amp; Delaware Medical Neglect Attorneys
The Baltimore and Delaware lawyers in the medical malpractice unit of the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos, PC believe that the majority of care provided to residents of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware is good. However, physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers do make mistakes, sometimes very serious mistakes. When doctors make mistakes, it can lead to personal injury or even wrongful death for men, women, and children. These mistakes can be termed medical negligence, medical neglect, or medical malpractice.
If you have been injured by or lost a loved one due to medical malpractice, you may have a case. Contact our Delaware and Maryland medical malpractice attorneys today to learn more about your rights.
The Law Protects You
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor or other health care provider fails to meet what is considered "acceptable standards of care." If a doctor fails to do something that should have been done or does something that should not have been done, and the result is medical injury or death, it may be considered medical malpractice.
Just as you have the right to seek legal help for injuries or damages sustained as a result of an automobile accident injuries or injuries suffered from a defective product, the law gives you the right to seek damages for injuries caused by the negligence of a doctor, hospital or other health care provider.
Medical Malpractice Too Common
Studies have reported that 100,000 - 200,000 Americans are killed every year by some form of medical mistake. One study concluded that 1.5 million Americans are sickened, injured, or killed every year by medication errors alone. The authors of these studies are doctors, who will be the first to admit that mistakes happen and that the consequences of their mistakes can be tragic.
Some examples of medical malpractice:
- Medication errors
- Late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of cancer or other disease
- Surgical errors, including:
- Punctured bladder or bowel during abdominal surgery
- Nerve and artery injuries
- Retained instruments
- Surgery on the wrong body part
- Anesthesia errors
- Birth injury leading to cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy
- Undiagnosed heart attack or stroke
- Hiring of doctors, nurses, or other health care providers without sufficient background checks
Failure to Diagnose Cancer
Cancer survival rates are much higher when cancer is detected in its early stages. For many cancers, there are often clear signs that, if noticed, can give an early diagnosis and improve a person's chance of survival. Sometimes doctors fail to order appropriate tests for cancer, or they misread results to interpret cancer as another type of illness. In these cases, the correct diagnosis of cancer does not come until it is too late, and the consequences are often the premature death of a loved one.
Why File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?
You may be reluctant to file a medical malpractice lawsuit because you respect or trust your doctor. You might remember being told by politicians or others that medical malpractice lawsuits are one of the reasons why health care is so expensive. You may think that doctors are constantly bombarded with frivolous lawsuits. Research also shows that over 97% of medical malpractice lawsuits involved actual injury, according to a panel of doctors.
The truth is that most people injured by medical mistakes do not file a lawsuit; only about one in eight file suit, according to a 1991 study. Physicians and other health care providers do carry insurance to cover risks, including injuries and death caused by medical mistakes.
Medical malpractice results in pain and suffering, mental anguish and diminished quality of life. In addition, medical bills, combined with lost wages, permanent disability, or the death of a breadwinner can amount to significant economic damages.
If you or a loved one suffered injury as a result of a health care provider's error in Maryland or Delaware, please schedule a free consultation with the medical malpractice lawyers at the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos, PC today to learn how we can help you with your medical malpractice case.
