Diabetes is a grave health condition that impacts numerous systems in the body, and a prompt diagnosis is essential to a favorable prognosis. Thousands of people in Maryland are diagnosed with diabetes yearly, but many go undiagnosed because their doctors attribute their symptoms to other conditions. A doctor’s failure to diagnose diabetes can lead to critical complications and, in many instances, is grounds for pursuing medical malpractice claims. If you sustained injuries due to a missed or delayed diabetes diagnosis, it is smart to speak to an attorney about your rights. The trusted Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group have ample experience helping people injured by the negligence of their doctors in the pursuit of justice, and if you hire us, we will tirelessly pursue the best result possible in case.
Consequences of the Failure to Diagnose DiabetesDiabetes is a disorder of the endocrine system that causes chronically elevated blood sugar levels. There are two types of diabetes: type 1, which is caused by an autoimmune response that leads to a lack of insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas, and type 2, which is brought about by an imbalance between insulin production and blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, and unintentional weight loss. People with diabetes may also experience vision changes, headaches, and fatigue. If a patient presents with symptoms of diabetes, their doctor will typically perform a blood test to assess their blood sugar levels. If a physician fails to conduct the necessary tests, though, diabetes will likely go undiagnosed, which can lead to acute and chronic health issues, including stroke, heart attack, seizures, and brain damage. In many instances, the failure to diagnose diabetes has fatal consequences.
Damages Recoverable for the Failure to Diagnose DiabetesPeople harmed by their doctor’s failure to diagnose diabetes can often recover damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. In most instances, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice case will aver that the defendant was negligent.
Pursuant to Maryland law, negligence is made up of four components, and a plaintiff must establish each component to prove the defendant’s liability. The first component is duty; in other words, the plaintiff needs to prove that there was an obligation imparted to the defendant to comply with the standard of care, which is the care that a competent doctor working in the same specialty as the defendant would provide in a similar scenario. The second element is a breach of the duty owed, meaning the plaintiff has to show that the defendant departed from the standard of care. The third and fourth elements are causation and damages. This means that the plaintiff has to demonstrate that they sustained quantifiable harm and that the defendant’s breach of the standard of care proximately caused said harm.
As the standard of care that applies to physicians is not something the average juror is familiar with, in most medical malpractice cases, the plaintiff will need to hire a medical expert to offer testimony on the standard of care, the ways in which the defendant breached the standard, and to link the breach to the resulting harm.
Damages awarded to victims of medical malpractice include compensation for the economic losses suffered due to the defendant’s negligence, which can include the cost of any medical treatment they needed or will need in the future, lost wages, and out-of-pocket expenses. They may also be able to recover remuneration for their intangible injuries, like the physical pain, emotional trauma, and mental anguish they endured.
Talk to an Experienced Baltimore AttorneyDiabetes is often manageable when it is detected and treated in a timely manner, but even brief diagnostic delays can cause significant harm. If you were hurt by a doctor’s failure to diagnose diabetes, you could be owed compensation, and you should talk to an attorney about your potential claims. The experienced Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group are skilled at handling challenging medical malpractice cases, and if we represent you, we will gather the evidence needed to afford you a strong chance of a successful outcome. We have an office in Baltimore, where we regularly represent parties harmed by medical malpractice. You can reach us via our form online or by calling us at (410) 889-1850 to set up a confidential conference.