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11 Reasons Why You Might Have a Medical Malpractice Case

Miller Stern Baltimore
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Expecting excellence and expertise isn’t too much to ask when you consult a doctor for medical advice. After all, you’re probably going to the hospital because you need a diagnosis, operation, or prescription that you can’t get on your own. Many people enter and leave hospitals with positive experiences, fully mended or on their way to recovery.

Unfortunately, some people leave their visits to the doctor worse than when they arrived. Those people, if they’re still alive, have a legitimate medical malpractice case against their health care provider.

Here are 11 situations in which you should consult an experienced attorney who can help you file your medical malpractice lawsuit.

  1. An infection has developed. When treating an injury or spending significant time in a bed, infections are possible without the proper attention from a doctor. Unsanitary conditions can lead to bacteria growing in the injury site, complicating the healing process and possibly worsening a patient’s health. Contaminated needles can spread disease when drawing blood or administering vaccines.
  2. You’re not getting the attention you request and deserve. Understaffing can cause some patients to go unchecked. This can be dangerous, as some patients need around-the-clock supervision.
  3. Your current condition worsens. If you’ve told your doctor the full story about your medical condition and you receive a misdiagnosis, your current condition will obviously not be treated correctly. One small misstep in a diagnosis can affect the treatment path, leading to costly bills and medical emergencies.
  4. A new condition arises because of incorrect treatment. This situation might be the hardest to prove because you’ll have to link your new symptoms to something your doctor mistakenly did or neglected to do.
  5. Your treatment doesn’t match the condition you have. Some doctors tend to overtreat. If your diagnosis or the treatment plan seems drastic, consider speaking to a different health care provider, for your peace of mind as well as to help your lawsuit if you’ve already started treatment with the provider who gave you the drastic treatment plan.
  6. Delayed or nonexistent diagnosis. Some doctors go in the opposite direction, refusing to treat a condition or waiting to diagnose it until it’s too late. If you aren’t getting the outcome you think you need, consider getting a second opinion in this situation, too.
  7. A loved one passes away. One of the first things on your mind after losing a loved one is, “How could this happen?” The answer to that question very well could be a mistake on the part of someone involved in the treatment process.
  8. Surgical mistakes or malpractice: Surgery can remedy very serious injuries, but it can also be very dangerous when left in the wrong hands. Inexperience, negligence, and accidents can all give someone grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit after a surgery gone wrong.
  9. Your baby is born with a defectCerebral palsy and Down Syndrome are two examples of birth defects that could lead to a medical malpractice ruling. Misreading a test, failure to administer a test, or mistakes during birth are all grounds for filing a lawsuit if your baby was born with a defect.
  10. Wrong medication or dosageTaking the wrong amount of medicine or putting something in your body that isn’t meant to be there are both very dangerous. A doctor who mistakenly prescribes medicine that leads to further complications can be sued for medical malpractice.
  11. Faulty medical equipment: Pacemakers, insulin pumps, stents, and joint implants can cause health issues if they are placed incorrectly or inherently faulty. If you’ve been negatively affected by one of these medical devices or another one, you likely have a medical malpractice case.

When filing a medical malpractice case, you’ll need to prove that a health care provider’s actions or negligence were directly related to an injury or death. For example, a broken leg that is repaired incorrectly would qualify as medical malpractice, while simply re-injuring the same leg that was previously broken would probably not qualify.

If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice, you can contact Miller Stern Lawyers for a free consultation, during which our experienced staff will examine your case and tell you about your options.

Miller Stern Lawyers, located in Baltimore, MD, stands ready to fight for your right to compensation. We have helped our clients recover millions of dollars in settlements and courtroom verdicts, and we can help you with your medical malpractice lawsuit or wrongful death lawsuit. Contact us at 410-LAW-FIRM (410-529-3476), or visit us online today.

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