Blood clotting disorders, including conditions such as hemophilia, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolisms, require careful monitoring and treatment to prevent life-threatening complications. Sadly, medical professionals may fail to manage these conditions properly, and their carelessness causes their patients to suffer severe harm. Mismanagement of blood clotting disorders often constitutes medical malpractice, and people harmed by such mistakes may be owed damages. If you or a loved one suffered harm due to the mismanagement of a blood clotting disorder, it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney about what claims you might be able to pursue. The capable Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group are proficient at holding negligent healthcare providers accountable, and if we represent you, we can inform you of your rights and aid you in seeking any available damages.
Understanding the Risks of Mismanagement of Blood Clotting DisordersBlood clotting disorders disrupt the body's ability to either clot or prevent excessive bleeding. Patients with clotting disorders may develop blood clots too easily, which can lead to dangerous complications like stroke or pulmonary embolism. Alternatively, patients with bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, lack certain clotting factors, leading to uncontrolled bleeding. Management of these conditions is complex and requires careful oversight, particularly with respect to medication and monitoring. Anticoagulants, such as warfarin and heparin, are commonly used to prevent blood clots, but they require precise dosing and regular monitoring to avoid complications.
Mismanagement of blood clotting disorders can cause serious health complications. For example, excessive anticoagulation due to improper dosing can lead to severe bleeding, while insufficient anticoagulation can fail to prevent dangerous clots. Additionally, failure to diagnose a clotting disorder in a timely manner or to recognize symptoms of clotting can cause long-term harm. Patients with these disorders are at risk of significant harm if healthcare providers fail to monitor blood levels, ignore symptoms, or fail to adjust medications as needed. Mismanagement can result in stroke, internal bleeding, organ damage, and, in some cases, death. Because blood clotting disorders require precise care, any deviation from the standard of care can have devastating effects on the patient's health.
Liability for the Mismanagement of Blood Clotting DisordersVictims of mismanagement of blood clotting disorders often suffer substantial physical, emotional, and economic harm. As such, they will frequently pursue damages from the healthcare provider responsible for their injuries via medical malpractice claims.
As the harm caused by medical malpractice is usually inadvertent, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice lawsuit will usually assert a negligence claim against the defendant. Under Maryland law, demonstrating negligence requires a plaintiff to show that the defendant owed them a duty and that the defendant breached the duty in some way. The duty a doctor owes a patient is to provide care that meets the applicable standard, which is the manner in which a competent practitioner in the same specialty would treat someone in a similar situation. To establish a breach of this duty, a plaintiff must show that the defendant failed to act according to this standard of care, whether by failing to monitor blood clotting factors, prescribing inappropriate medication, or ignoring symptoms of clotting or bleeding.
Causation is often the most challenging element to prove in these cases, as the plaintiff must demonstrate that the mismanagement directly caused the harm they suffered. In other words, the plaintiff must show that their injuries would not have occurred but for the defendant’s failure to manage the blood clotting disorder correctly. Expert testimony from medical professionals is typically required to clarify the standard of care, illustrate how the provider's actions deviated from it, and connect this deviation to the plaintiff’s injuries.
Once the plaintiff establishes negligence, they may be entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover quantifiable losses, such as medical expenses related to additional treatments, surgeries, or rehabilitation needed due to the mismanagement of the blood clotting disorder. Lost wages and future earning potential may also be included. Non-economic damages compensate the victim for the intangible consequences of their injuries, including physical pain, emotional suffering, and diminished quality of life.
Confer With a Seasoned Baltimore Medical Malpractice AttorneyIf you or a loved one were injured by the negligent management of a blood clotting disorder, it is crucial to speak with an attorney about your options. At Arfaa Law Group, our seasoned Maryland medical malpractice attorneys know what it takes to present a winning case, and if you hire us, we will fight to help you seek the best legal result possible. Our firm is in Baltimore, and we represent parties in Baltimore and throughout Maryland in cases involving mismanagement of blood clotting disorders and other forms of medical negligence. To schedule a free meeting, please contact our office today by calling 410-889-1850 or via our online form.