Many people suffering from acute or chronic medical conditions require constant care and supervision that can only be provided in a hospital setting. While hospitals typically take great measures to prevent patients from suffering additional harm during their admission, there are certain infections that people in hospitals are prone to contracting, like MRSA. MRSA infections can be deadly, and a patient’s prognosis depends, in part, on the timeliness of their diagnosis. As such, a doctor’s failure to diagnose a MRSA infection is frequently grounds for pursuing malpractice claims. If you or a loved one sustained losses due to a doctor’s careless delays, you might be owed compensation, and you should meet with an attorney as soon as possible. The dedicated Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of Arfaa Law Group possess the skills and experience needed to help you seek justice for your losses, and if you hire us, we will advocate zealously on your behalf.
Harm Caused by the Failure to Diagnose a MRSA InfectionMRSA, or Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, is a strain of bacteria that causes infections. MRSA is difficult to treat because it does not respond to the antibiotics typically used to treat other staph infections. MRSA frequently arises in healthcare settings, like hospitals, where many patients have an increased risk of developing a healthcare-associated infection due to factors like decreased immunity, open wounds, and invasive devices such as catheters. It can also arise in community settings, however, like locker rooms and gyms.
MRSA can infect the blood, lungs, and surgical sites or wounds. The symptoms MRSA causes depend on the area of the body that is impacted. For example, MRSA skin infections can cause blisters, swelling, redness, and pain. In most instances, laboratory tests are needed to determine if a person has MRSA or another infection.
Lawsuits Arising Out of the Failure to Diagnose a MRSA InfectionMRSA infections require urgent care, and delays can be fatal. Thus, people who suffer losses due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose a MRSA infection will often seek compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit. As such delays are usually careless rather than intentional, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice case will usually set forth a negligence claim against the defendant.
Under Maryland law, to establish negligence in the context of medical treatment, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant had a duty to comply with the applicable standard of care. The standard of care dictates that a practitioner must exercise the same skill and reason that a reasonable doctor working in the same specialty would use in a similar situation. The plaintiff then has to prove that the defendant deviated from the standard of care in some way. For example, if a competent doctor would order a blood test when presented with a patient with the plaintiff’s symptoms and the defendant failed to do so, it may constitute a breach. Next, the plaintiff needs to prove that the defendant’s breach proximately caused the plaintiff to suffer actual harm. In other words, the plaintiff would not have been injured but for the defendant’s behavior.
As matters such as the standard of care that applies to doctors and what comprises a breach of that standard is beyond the understanding of the average juror or judge, in most cases, the plaintiff will need to hire a medical expert to explain such issues at trial. Expert testimony is often needed to establish causation and damages as well.
Meet with a Trusted Baltimore AttorneyMRSA and other healthcare-related infections must be treated immediately, and the failure to diagnose a MRSA infection can have life-altering consequences. If you suffered losses due to a doctor’s delay in offering an accurate diagnosis, you could be owed damages, and you should meet with an attorney to discuss your options. The trusted Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group take pride in helping people harmed by medical negligence fight to protect their interests, and if we represent you, we will set forth compelling arguments on your behalf. We regularly represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Baltimore, where our office is located. You can reach us through our form online or by calling (410) 889-1850 to set up a free and confidential meeting.