Articles Posted in Medical Malpractice News

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Anesthesiologists are vital to ensuring that surgery is safe. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to an anesthesiologist’s error, you could have a claim for medical malpractice against the anesthesiologist. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys will make every effort to get you the monetary damages you rightfully deserve.

A divided Florida Supreme Court recently ruled against an anesthesiologist in a medical malpractice claim that involved a female who lost her life while undergoing surgery for a tumor in her skull. In a 4-3 decision, the court overturned an earlier verdict for the anesthesiologist who performed a pre-anesthesia evaluation of the patient. According to the complaint filed by the patient’s husband, the anesthesiologist allegedly failed to order a second electrocardiogram after the first one highlighted irregular results and failed to report these irregular lab results to the surgeon. The Supreme Court rejected the lower court’s rationale that let the anesthesiologist off the hook because he was not the “primary cause” of the patient’s death. Rather, the Supreme Court noted that a doctor can be the proximate cause of a patient’s harm even if he or she is not the primary cause of that harm. While this is a Florida case, causation is an important element of all Maryland malpractice cases as well.

Anesthesiologist Errors Leading to Malpractice

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, anesthesiologists are committed to the “relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery.” Part of an anesthesiologist’s job is to make sure patients undergoing surgery do not feel pain during the operation. This involves evaluating a patient before surgery to make sure the amount and type of anesthetic being administered is safe for the patient.

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When you seek medical attention, the last thing you want to worry about is the possibility of your doctor making a mistake that could make your health worse. If you or a loved one has been hurt because of a healthcare provider’s negligence, our seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers can help. At Arfaa Law Group, we have the time and resources to help build a strong case on your behalf. Our firm has handled numerous medical malpractice claims throughout Maryland and our commitment to protecting the rights of our clients is unwavering.

A Louisiana doctor surrendered his medical license after he allegedly removed a healthy kidney during what was supposed to be colon surgery. He then relocated to California and continued to practice medicine. There, he reportedly erroneously removed a woman’s fallopian tube. When faced with state sanctions, the doctor once again surrendered his license. In New York, regulators were attempting to act based on the doctor’s California issues so he agreed to surrender his license there as well. In fact, the doctor ultimately agreed to be permanently barred from practicing in New York. Despite having to give up his medical license in three states, he now practices in Ohio, working at an urgent care clinic where his medical record is clean.

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If you or someone close to you suffered harm because of a cardiology error, you should promptly seek legal advice to understand what your next steps should be. Our experienced Baltimore cardiology error attorneys will be there to help you get your life back on track after suffering a medical injury. You can take solace in the fact that we know how to build a case that gives you the best chance of obtaining fair compensation in your case.

The Study

Over the last ten years, rates of cardiology malpractice lawsuits have steadily increased based on an evaluation of more than 1,500 liability claims printed in the American Journal of Cardiology last month. The study examined cardiology malpractice lawsuits filed between the years of 2006 and 2015 in an attempt to figure out malpractice trends and common causes of patient harm in the specialty. The study showed that defensive medicine – a practice in which doctors treat their patients to evade liability claims rather than to provide the best care – is a factor in the increasing number of malpractice claims in the field of cardiology. Of the numerous claims, the primary accusations for malpractice were for improper medical treatment and diagnosis related errors. Other trends with claims included miscommunication, monitoring issues as well as equipment glitches or failures.

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If you or someone close to you has been injured by a gastroenterologist’s error, you could be eligible to recover compensation. Our Baltimore medical negligence advocates will gather all of the information needed to properly evaluate your case and advise you accordingly. With years of experience, we know how to proceed in even the most complicated medical malpractice cases.

A Tennessee gastroenterologist has been accused of medical malpractice in a wrongful death suit. According to the lawsuit, the doctor failed to treat his patient properly, which allegedly resulted in her death from cancer this past May. The facility where the doctor practices is also named in the lawsuit. Apparently, the doctor failed to fully remove a polyp from the patient’s colon in 2013 and then again in 2016. This past February, the patient discovered an ulcerated mass in the same area, which was revealed to be cancer. In March, another doctor told the patient that the cancer had spread to the liver and seven out of the 12 lymph nodes and that her life expectancy was very short. She died two months later.

Gastroenterology Malpractice

Gastroenterologists specialize in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and disorders of the digestive tract. The following types of gastroenterologist errors may give rise to a malpractice case: diagnostic errors, improper performance of a procedure, failure to monitor a patient properly after the procedure, medication errors or communication errors.

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Medical overtreatment is a scary reality in Maryland and throughout the US. If you or a family member has suffered harm because of medical overtreatment, you should reach out to a Baltimore medical negligence attorney as soon as you can. Sadly, overtreatment is very common and can lead to a variety of negative health consequences for a patient and we believe that you shouldn’t have to deal with these consequences on your own.

The Research

Medical schools and facilities need to try and challenge the culture of medical overtreatment, says Barnett Kramer, MD, MPH, and the director of the cancer prevention division at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda. The main issue recognized by a medical historian in the study is the insufficient training surrounding uncertainty in medical schools. In some cases, doctors must accept uncertainty because failing to do so leads to overusing tests and treatment. Another thing medical schools and doctors need to understand, according to the expert, is that it is okay to wait and see in some situations, and decisions do not have to be made right in that moment in every case.

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Sadly, medical malpractice causes countless injuries in Maryland and across the United States every year. If you or a person you love has been injured due to the negligence of a medical professional, you should consult a diligent Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who can help. Medical malpractice cases are incredibly complex but you can trust that we will help you obtain the answers you need following a medical mistake

Seven out of 10 doctors are not willing to recommend their chosen profession to their children or other family members, according to a nationwide Future of Healthcare Survey of over 3,400 doctors released by The Doctors Company. Respondents included primary care physicians, surgical specialists, inpatient medical specialists and diagnosticians.

Respondents cited electronic health records (EHRs) and value-based care as key reasons for their viewpoint. Specifically, fifty-four percent said they believe EHRs have negatively impacted the doctor-patient relationship, and 61 percent said they believe EHRs negative affect efficiency and productivity. In addition, 49 percent said they believe value0based care and reimbursed will negatively impact patient care.

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When a doctor, nurse or any other medical professional is negligent, the results can be devastating. If you have been injured or someone you know has died due to medical malpractice, you need the help of a seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice attorney. At Arfaa Law Group, we are committed to getting our clients the compensation they deserve for their harm. Time is of the essence in these cases so it is important to act as quickly as possible after your medical injury.

Doctors with burnout are twice as likely to prescribe the wrong medication and make the wrong diagnoses, according to a new large-scale study. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, examined 57 research papers that analyzed the responses of 43,000 doctors. The conclusion was that burnout has devastating effects on the quality of care that a patient receives. Burnout also makes doctors twice as likely to lower professional standards, such as not following set protocols and policies. For junior doctors, burnout increases the chances of lower professional standards by 3.5 times.

The study also revealed that patient satisfaction was significantly lower when doctors were physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted – key signs of burnout. The study confirms what has been known for a while: doctors work best when they are not overworked to the degree that they experience burnout. In other words, the well being of a doctor directly impacts patient care.

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Unfortunately, medical malpractice takes place much more often than it should. If you or your family member suffered harm and you believe malpractice was the cause, you need to reach out to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who can help. At Arfaa Law Group, we empathize with individuals and families who have suffered preventable harm as a result of a medical professional’s error or carelessness. You can rest assured that we can compassionately guide you through the entire legal process.

A recent study printed in the American Journal of Managed Care found that real-time technology allowed physicians to make good decisions in a timely manner and provide better care to patients at lower costs. The study was conducted by Dr. Harry C. Sax, executive vice chair of surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and a variety of other physicians, researchers, and companies.

The research team placed electronic reminders into the hospital’s electronic health records, highlighting for doctors in real time when their care guidelines departed from evidence-based medical guidelines. The team then evaluated what would happen to patients whose physicians followed all guidelines versus those whose physicians did not follow any of them. The study examined almost 26,500 patients admitted to Cedars-Sinai over a three-year time span.

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A correct and timely diagnosis often depends on the accurate and timely interpretation of radiology reports. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. If you have been injured due to a radiology error, we may be able to help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can investigate every aspect of your case and help you understand your legal rights and options accordingly.Radiologists are involved in 15 percent of diagnosis-related medical malpractice lawsuits, second only to those involving general medicine medical professionals, according to a new report produced by Boston-based medical professional liability insurer Coverys. The report analyzed more than 10,000 claims, identifying a total of 595 radiology-related malpractice claims from 2013 to 2017. The data show that 80 percent of all diagnosis-related claims stem from the misinterpretation of clinical tests. In addition, 80 percent of missed diagnosis lawsuits in radiology involve either permanent injury or death to the patient.

Radiologists play a critical role in correctly and accurately diagnosing patients. Among those radiology claims alleging diagnostic failure, cancer misdiagnoses were the most common, according to the report, with breast, lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers being the most prevalent.

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If you believe that you have been a victim of a medical professional’s mistake, you need a seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who will fight to get you the best possible result. Determining whether you have a viable medical malpractice claim is not easy, but having a skilled attorney on your side can make a huge difference in your case.Last month, Maryland’s highest court tossed a $2.3 million jury verdict in a lawsuit accusing a psychiatrist and a hospital of improperly discharging a mental health patient who committed suicide on the following day, reasoning that a doctor who discharges an involuntarily admitted patient in good faith is immune from civil liability.

The Maryland Mental Health Law provides criteria for the involuntary admission of an individual to a mental health facility and a process for evaluating whether the individual meets those criteria. Hospitals, as well as their employees, have civil and criminal immunity when they follow the process in good faith. The process starts with the initiation application for involuntary admission and concludes upon a hearing officer’s decision whether to admit or release that person. If the doctor followed statutory criteria and made the decision to release an individual in good faith, that decision cannot form the basis of a jury verdict for medical malpractice.

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