People who receive treatment at government-operated medical facilities are entitled to care that meets the same professional standards required of private providers. When doctors disregard known health risks or fail to consult a patient’s history before administering medications, the consequences can be severe. A recent opinion explores these issues in the context of a medical malpractice claim brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act. If you were injured by negligent care at a VA hospital, you should speak to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney about your potential claims.
Procedural and Factual Background
It is alleged that the plaintiff sought treatment at a federal medical facility, where he received two medications. These medications were reportedly administered in March 2020. The plaintiff claims that both drugs have documented potential for triggering allergic reactions, including dysphagia and angioedema, and that these risks are disclosed in the drugs’ warning labels. It is reported that the plaintiff had previously been hospitalized for similar allergic reactions in 2016 and 2017, facts which were allegedly known to the treating physicians at the facility.
Allegedly, the plaintiff had been prescribed one of the medications previously without adverse reactions, but he asserts that the simultaneous prescription of the second medication triggered a serious allergic response. It is reported that his medical records documented his history of drug-induced allergic reactions, and that the treating clinicians had a duty to consult these records before prescribing additional medications. The plaintiff contends that the VA’s decision to proceed with treatment using the medications constituted a breach of the applicable standard of care.
It is further reported that the plaintiff filed suit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, asserting that the defendant’s physicians negligently administered medications contraindicated by his medical history. The defendants moved to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the plaintiff had not demonstrated that the treating physicians deviated from the standard of care or that any such deviation caused his injuries.
Sufficiency of Medical Malpractice Claims
The court examined the motion to dismiss under the familiar Rule 12(b)(6) standard, which requires a complaint to set forth facts sufficient to state a plausible claim for relief. In the context of medical malpractice claims under the FTCA, plaintiffs must establish (1) the applicable standard of care, (2) a breach of that standard, and (3) causation linking the breach to the alleged harm.
The court found that the plaintiff’s allegations were sufficient to withstand dismissal at this preliminary stage. While the defendants argued that the plaintiff’s known allergies involved a different class of drugs, specifically NSAIDs, and that the drugs in question were chemically unrelated, the court determined that this factual dispute was not dispositive on a motion to dismiss. Rather, the court emphasized that the plaintiff had plausibly alleged that the defendant’s physicians were aware of his prior allergic reactions and should have exercised caution in prescribing new medications with known risks of allergic response.
The court also rejected the argument that a delayed allergic reaction undermined the plaintiff’s causation theory. It is reported that the plaintiff’s medical records contemporaneously noted allergic reactions to both medications, which the court found bolstered the plausibility of the plaintiff’s claims. Additionally, the court observed that the resolution of whether the physicians’ actions complied with the standard of care would likely require expert medical testimony and could not be resolved on the pleadings alone.
Ultimately, the court denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss and ordered the parties to proceed with discovery and further litigation. The court emphasized that while the plaintiff had a heavy burden to prove causation and breach at the summary judgment or trial phase, his allegations were sufficient to proceed beyond the pleading stage.
Consult an Experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Patients treated at federal hospitals deserve medical care that is thorough, attentive, and consistent with professional standards. When providers fail to review a patient’s history or prescribe medications that pose known risks, they may be held liable for the resulting harm. If you or a loved one experienced adverse effects due to negligent care at a federal medical facility, the knowledgeable Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group are here to help. Contact our office at (410) 889-1850 or fill out our online form to schedule a confidential consultation and learn more about your legal options.