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Understanding Medical Malpractice: Informative Articles

Have you been injured due to negligence by a healthcare provider? You might have a medical malpractice claim. Accordingly, the Kopec Law Firm provides this comprehensive resource. It is for anyone who suspects they may have been the victim of medical malpractice. Here, we’ll provide general information about medical malpractice, and below you will also find an online library of links to informative articles on various aspects of medical malpractice.

What is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or hospital, deviates from the accepted standard of care and causes harm to a patient. This deviation can be a mistake in diagnosis, treatment, medication prescription, or aftercare instructions. For a medical malpractice claim to be successful, four elements must be established:

• Duty of Care: The healthcare provider owed the patient a duty to provide a certain level of care based on their profession and the specific situation.
• Breach of Duty: The healthcare provider failed to meet the established standard of care.
• Causation: The breach of duty directly caused the patient’s injury.
• Damages: The patient suffered actual damages, such as physical pain, emotional distress, or financial losses due to the injury.

You can read more about details particular to Maryland on the medical malpractice page of this website, and in the links to articles below.

Common Areas of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can occur in various medical settings and involve a wide range of healthcare professionals. Some of the most common areas of medical malpractice include:

• Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis: Failing to identify a medical condition or delaying a diagnosis can have serious consequences. A delayed cancer diagnosis, for example, could lead to the disease progressing to a more advanced and less treatable stage.
• Surgical Errors: Mistakes during surgery, such as such as causing nerve damage or bleeding, or causing injury at the surgery site or surrounding area can have devastating consequences.
• Emergency Room: A failure to treat or treatment that causes injury in the emergency room can constitute medical malpractice.
• Birth Injuries: Improper use of forceps or vacuum during delivery, failure to identify fetal distress, or errors in cesarean section procedures can cause birth injuries to both mother and baby.
• Wrongful Death: Any medical malpractice claim that results in death can be a wrongful death case.

The links to articles below contain more detailed information concerning these areas of medical malpractice.

What to Do if You Suspect Medical Malpractice

If you believe you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, here’s what you should do:

• Seek Medical Attention: If you are experiencing any new or worsening medical symptoms, prioritize getting the necessary medical care to address them.
• Gather Documentation: Collect all medical records, test results, and billing statements related to the incident. Keep copies of any communications you’ve had with the healthcare provider about your concerns.
• Consult a Medical Malpractice Attorney: We can review your case, determine the merits of a claim, and advise you on your legal options.

What Clients Want to Know

We understand that navigating the legal complexities of medical malpractice can be overwhelming. In addition to the articles below, here are some of the most frequently sought information regarding medical malpractice:

• Do I have a case? We can analyze your specific situation and determine if you have a viable claim. It’s crucial to seek legal advice as soon as possible, as there are often strict time limits for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, frequently known as the statute of limitations.
• How much does it cost to hire a medical malpractice attorney? Unlike lawyers in other legal areas, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay any legal fees upfront, and there is no fee unless your case is successful. The legal fees are a percentage of the awarded compensation.
• What kind of compensation can I receive? If your medical malpractice claim is successful, then you may be entitled to compensation for various damages, including medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
• How long does a medical malpractice lawsuit take? Medical malpractice cases can be complex and time-consuming. The length of the lawsuit generally can vary depending on the severity of the case, the need for expert witnesses, and the willingness of the defendant to settle.

Informative Articles

Below you will find links to articles on a variety of medical malpractice topics.

When you are ready, visit our free consultation page or video on this website. Then contact the Kopec Law Firm at 800-604-0704 to speak directly with Attorney Mark Kopec. He is a top-rated Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer. The Kopec Law Firm is in Baltimore and pursues birth injury cases throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.