Maryland Medical Malpractice Blog

Failure to properly diagnose heart attack leads to need for transplant

2012-01-06T13:28:25Z

A woman recently sued three physicians for medical malpractice and negligence in New Mexico. She claimed they failed to properly diagnose her heart condition from a heart attack. The evidence suggested that she would probably need a heart transplant in the future. The jury awarded $ 9 million. A New Mexico jury has awarded a local woman $9 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit against three doctors who failed to diagnose her heart attack in November 2006. In Maryland, like New Mexico, there would be a cap on non economic damages. This means that regardless of the amount of the jury award, it would be reduced to the cap if the award exceeded the cap.Read more about medical malpractice here.

cerebral palsy to infant caused by failure to provide oxygen

2012-01-05T14:28:16Z

In a case filed in Edgewater, Fla., a mother claimed that her child was born with cerebral palsy because the ambulance company failed to provide oxygen to the brain. Two physicians and two hospitals had previously settled with the mother as a result of the alleged malpractice. The jury in Florida returned a ten million ($ 10,000,000) verdict against the ambulance company. Of course in Maryland there would be a cap on non economic damages but there would be no cap on economic damages which would include the amount it would cost for future medical care for the child. Read more about cerebral palsy and medical malpractice here.

Improper grafting leading to paraplegia

2011-12-28T19:49:18Z

In a recent medical malpractice case a Maryland resident claimed that she had surgery for blocked arteries and the surgeon used improper grafting procedures resulting in significant blood loss and spinal injuries. She claimed that as a result of the surgery, she became a paraplegic. The total jury verdict was $3.5 million which included $1.3 million in noneconomic damages, $2 million for future medical bills, and more than $200,000 for past medical bills. If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, call the law firm of Foran & Foran, P.A. Read more about medical malpractice and paraplegia here.

Failure to perform Ceaserean Section

2011-12-23T17:38:10Z

A New York jury recently awarded a couple $5.5 million as a result of hospital negligence surrounding the birth of a baby. Apparently, the woman constantly complained of significant pain during her pregnancy and desired to have a Ceaserean section performed during labor. This request was basically ignored by her attending physician. During natural birth, the woman suffered significant pelvic injuries as a result of the failure of the physician failing to perform a Ceaserean section.

C-Section malpractice

2011-12-12T21:40:11Z

A $5.2 million settlement was recently reached in a malpractice claim regarding the death of a woman during child birth. Apparently, the woman suffered from internal bleeding as a result of a Caesarean operation. The evidence suggested that an attending physician warned the doctor who performed the C-Section that the patient had internal bleeding. The attending physician delayed too long in addressing the problem and the woman died as a result. The settlement was reached between multiple defendants who were involved in the procedure.

wrongful death caused by excessive bleeding after surgery

2011-12-08T14:17:46Z

A jury in Alabama recently awarded a family $3 million as a result of medical malpractice committed by a hospital. Apparently, the man bled to death after surgery for a duodenal ulcer. The standard of care for operations would clearly be proper monitoring of patients after surgery to assure there is no abnormal bleeding. Failure to do so would be negligence and improper medical care. The malpractice could be the result of faulty care by the operating physician or nursing staff. If you have a loved one who is the victim of medical malpractice, please call the Law Firm of Foran & Foran, P.A. Read more about medical malpractice here.

Long Term Care Hospitals

2011-12-02T14:10:50Z

Long-term acute care hospitals have emerged as a relative new phenomena since the 1980s. These hospitals attempt to specialize in the long-term care of very sick patients. Most of these hospitals are for profit hospitals and make significant profits. Unfortunately, often they are understaffed and undertrained. There is often very low numbers of doctors during off-peak hours. Many of these hospitals are cited at much higher rates than regular hospitals for serious violations of Medicare rules. Medicare inspection reports of many of these hospitals reveal preventable patient injuries and deaths and inadequate staff numbers with high turnover. If you have a loved one who has been injured in a long term hospital or has died as a result of what you believe to be inadequate care, please call the offices of Foran & Foran, P.A.

Psychiatric malpractice-wrongful death

2011-11-17T13:47:32Z

Psychiatric Medications

2011-11-10T13:17:28Z

Puncturing a Blood Vessel

2011-01-18T14:53:41Z

A female patient at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles County, California recently settled a medical malpractice case for $1.175 million. settlement with a female patient at in a medical negligence lawsuit. She contended that one of her blood vessels was inadvertently punctured by a catheter tip during a medical procedure. She suffered various complications as a result of the injury. When a physician or hospital breaches the medical standard of care with a patient and injury results, the physician or hospital can often be held accountable for the injury. Damages can be both economic and non economic (pain and suffering).

Malpractice Cap On Damages Overturned

2010-06-25T17:15:49Z

Maryland Malpractice LawyerAn Illinois law that capped verdicts in medical malpractice case was recently ruled unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court. Doctors and hospitals are certainly disappointed in that ruling. Physicians claim that keeping caps on verdicts help reduce medical malpractice insurance premiums. Unfortunately for physicians, the facts do not justify that argument. The reasoning behind the decision was based upon a separation of powers theory. The court felt that lawmakers had interfered with the right of a jury to determine damages. Maryland also has a cap on medical malpractice damages. It has been found to be constitutional in Maryland. There is a sliding scale used to determine the cap in Maryland depending on when the injury occurred.

Medical malpractice causes paraplegia

2010-06-14T20:28:38Z

A California jury recently awarded a man $16.5 million in a medical malpractice claim. A man had been taken to a hospital with spinal injuries. The neurosurgeon who was scheduled to perform the surgery on the injured party delayed the surgery by 48 hours. The spinal injuries developed into paraplegia. Apparently the doctor failed to even examine the patient until the following day and by that time it was too late. The damage to the spine had progressed so far by the time of the operation it was irreversible. Under Maryland law there would be a cap on pain and suffering damages but there is no cap on economic damages for future medical care and future lost wages. Medical malpractice causes paraplegia

Reporting Sentinel Events

2010-06-11T11:47:49Z

A hospital is expected, although not required, to report what is known as a sentinel event. This is an event that produces an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or physiological injury or the risk thereof. These events suggest a need for proper investigation and response. If a hospital is accredited, they are strongly encouraged to report these events to the accrediting body (JCAHO). If JCAHO is either told of a sentinel event or discovers such an event through other sources, it will require the hospital to determine the root cause of the event and establish a plan of action to avoid further such events. There are time limits within which the plan must be implemented. This process is intended to avoid further incidents of the same kind. Maryland Malpractice Lawyer

Damages awarded for faulty breast surgery

2010-06-10T20:30:58Z

A New York jury recently awarded damages in the amount of $3.5 million to a Staten Island woman who claimed a plastic surgeon negligently performed a breast augmentation surgery. The breast lift apparently left the patient with what is called "double-bubble deformities". She had to have two corrective surgeries to fix the condition. She also claimed the surgeries ruined her 17-year marriage because she was too embarrassed to undress in front of her husband. Maryland malpractice lawyer

Soldier Surgery

2010-03-05T13:34:34Z

A South Carolina jury recently awarded $ 1.1 million to a man who lost virtually all use of his right arm during a surgery performed in 2004. It was known as soldier surgery. The jury also awarded $ 500,000 to the plaintiffs for loss of consortium. Maryland does have caps on what are called non economic damages. These damages include pain and suffering. The amount of the cap on non economic damages depends on the year of the injury. there is a sliding scale. There is no cap for economic damages such as future lost wages, future medical bills, home care treatment and the like.Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyer