Hospital negligence can lead to Maryland patient distrust

When suffering from a scary medical issue, many will often opt to take a trip to the emergency room should the issue be severe. Upon meeting with the physician, the patient assumes that the doctor and the hospital staff will do their best to see that proper care is provided, and all tests and procedures will not only lead to a diagnosis, but also a proper treatment plan. Maryland physicians who fail to follow procedure, and observe proper patient care and follow-up, can find themselves in the midst of a medical negligence lawsuit.

A 55-year-old man has recently been awarded $12,820,990 in a medical negligence case in another state. The monetary award is to help with past and future non-economic damages and medical care needs. The victim says he has suffered great emotional pain and fear, and will have a lifetime of continued medical care and permanent disfigurement.

In April of 2014, the victim was suffering from abdominal pain and went to his local emergency room. The attending physician ordered a CT scan and learned that the victim had portal gas and hardening of the arteries. Upon consultation with another doctor, the attending physician sent the man home the following day with a prescription for pain medication and orders for a follow-up outpatient ultrasound.

Three days later, the victim again went to the same emergency room with the same complaint of abdominal pain. This time, a different attending physician diagnosed the man with inadequate blood supply and transferred the patient immediately to a high-level care hospital for emergency surgery. The patient has since had to have several more surgeries and a nutrition tube placed.

Patients who have been injured or are suffering from the decisions or negligence of a medical provider have the option to file a medical malpractice claim. Such a claim could hold the doctor and/or the facility where treatment was provided financially responsible for damages and the long-term suffering a patient endures as a result of the decisions or lack thereof of the medical provider(s). With the assistance of a Maryland attorney, victims and their families can seek recourse in a civil court.

Source: emissourian.com, “Jury Awards $14.2 Million In Negligence Decision – Mercy Will Appeal Verdict“, Monte Miller, Nov. 8, 2017