New Study Highlights Nurse Practitioners and Doctors Face Similar Liability Risks

Have you or someone you love been harmed by a medical mistake at a hospital? If so, you should reach out to a seasoned Baltimore hospital malpractice attorney who can help you understand your rights. At Arfaa Law Group, we can seek a settlement that is appropriate for the losses that you have incurred, but we are also prepared to advocate for your rights at trial if necessary. You can trust that we are prepared to aggressively assert your rights and get you the compensation you need to move on with your life.

A study recently issued by The Doctors Company reveals that the allegations in medical malpractice lawsuits against nurse practitioners (NPs) do not differ drastically from those made against primary care doctors. The study by the country’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer is based on almost 1,500 claims filed against NPs and family medicine and internal medicine doctors between the dates of January 2011 and December 2015. The key findings from the study were as follows:

  • Diagnosis-related and medication-related claims were similar for NPs and primary care doctors;
  • The final diagnoses in diagnosis-related allegations were similar for NPs and primary care doctors;
  • Many NP claims can be traced to clinical and administrative factors like failure to adhere to the NP scope of practice, absence of or deviation from written protocols, and insufficient physician supervision.

Under Maryland law, in order to establish malpractice, the plaintiff must prove the following points by a preponderance of the evidence:  i) the medical professional owed the patient a duty of care; ii) the medical professional violated the duty of care owed to the patient; and iii) the medical professional’s violation was a direct and proximate cause of the patient’s injury. The duty of care refers to the medical professional’s obligation to use the level of care that a reasonably prudent medical professional in the same specialty within the same geographic area would have used in the same or similar circumstances. As a result, the duty of care varies based on a number of factors, such as the patient’s age, medical history, and background.

The statute of limitations in Maryland is three years for most cases; however, there are certain exceptions to this rule. We can examine your case and figure out whether you still have time to file your claim. Failing to file within the relevant statute of limitations could mean losing your right to compensation altogether.

Physician and nurse practitioner negligence can often lead to serious and even long-term harm. If nurse negligence has harmed you, you need to consult a skilled Baltimore hospital negligence attorney who can assess the merits of your case. At Arfaa Law Group, we are committed to helping you understand your legal rights and options. You can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to bring you the justice and compensation you deserve for your harm. For a confidential consultation, call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or reach out to us online today.

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