People experiencing critical health concerns will often go to the hospital with the expectation that they will receive a thorough examination and, if necessary, be admitted for further care. While many doctors follow the proper procedure for evaluating and treating a patient, in some instances, a doctor will carelessly neglect to admit a patient, and the patient will subsequently suffer serious harm due to the lack of necessary treatment. If you or a loved one were hurt by a physician’s failure to admit, you may be able to institute a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor responsible for your injuries, and you should talk to a lawyer. The dedicated Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group can assess the events surrounding your harm and offer you advise regarding what steps you can take to protect your interests.
Harm Caused by the Failure to AdmitConditions such as heart attacks, strokes, severe infections, or complications from chronic diseases may require immediate hospitalization to provide life-saving treatments that are not available on an outpatient basis. When a patient is not admitted in a timely manner, they miss critical interventions that could stabilize their condition, leading to preventable complications.
The decision not to admit may occur when a hospital’s medical staff underestimates the severity of a patient's symptoms fails to conduct thorough examinations, or misinterprets diagnostic tests. Such decisions can also be influenced by overcrowding in hospitals, administrative errors, and breakdown in communications. Regardless of the cause of a failure to admit, the consequences such errors have on a patient’s health are profound. Specifically, the failure to admit a patient to a hospital when necessary can lead to a rapid decline in the patient's condition and, in some instances, death.
Lawsuits Arising Out of the Failure to AdmitThe failure to admit a patient to a hospital can result in injuries that damage a patient’s physical, mental, and financial health. Accordingly, many people impaired by such oversights will seek compensation from the responsible parties in medical malpractice lawsuits.
Typically, the acts that give rise to medical malpractice claims are not designed to harm but are accidental in nature. As such, most medical malpractice lawsuits proceed on a theory of negligence.
In Maryland, a plaintiff alleging the negligence of a defendant doctor has to first establish that the defendant owed them a duty and that the defendant’s behavior demonstrates a breach of the duty owed. The duty a doctor owes to a patient arises out of the doctor-patient relationship. Broadly, it is the obligation to provide care that complies with the applicable standard of care, which is characterized by the treatment a reasonable professional working in the same specialty would provide to a patient under similar circumstances.
After establishing the duty owed and a breach of that duty, the plaintiff has to show that the breach proximately caused their injuries and that they suffered measurable losses. In other words, they must prove that they would not have sustained harm absent the defendant’s behavior.
In the majority of cases, the plaintiff will need to rely on testimony from a medical expert to establish the standard of care, explain how the defendant departed from the standard, and relate the defendant’s breach to the plaintiff’s injuries.
If the plaintiff shows the defendant was at fault, they may be able to recoup compensation for the economic and non-economic harm. Economic harm usually encompasses the cost of any necessary medical care, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages, while non-economic harm includes suffering, pain, and emotional trauma.
Confer With a Dedicated Baltimore AttorneyPeople who present to doctors of healthcare facilities with critical concerns often need to be admitted for close monitoring and care, and if they are not, it can lead to tragic consequences. If you suffered losses due to a doctor’s failure to admit you or a loved one to a hospital, it is advisable to confer with an attorney regarding your rights. The dedicated Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group have what it takes to prevail in claims against negligent doctors, and if you hire us, we will work tirelessly to help you strive for justice. We have an office in Baltimore, and we routinely represent people in medical malpractice cases throughout the city. You can reach us at 410-889-1850 or through our online form to set up a meeting.