People that suffer from gastrointestinal issues often seek treatment from proctologists. Generally, proctologists will conduct tests and perform surgical procedures to diagnose and treat illnesses affecting the colon and rectum. Proctologists can provide patients with symptom relief and improved health, but unfortunately, in some instances, they ignore their training and experience and commit medical errors that cause their patients to suffer grave harm. If you were hurt due to proctologist malpractice, you might be owed damages, and it is in your best interest to consult a lawyer as soon as possible. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys are adept at aiding parties injured by incompetent health care providers fight to protect their interests, and if we represent you, we will work tirelessly on your behalf.
Harm Commonly Caused by Proctologist MalpracticeProctologists typically cause harm by failing to diagnose a patient or by performing a procedure improperly. For example, a doctor may disregard a patient’s symptoms or fail to obtain a thorough medical history. This can prevent appropriate tests from being prescribed and may ultimately cause a diagnosis to be delayed or missed. When a patient does not receive a prompt and accurate diagnosis, it can cause a worsening of symptoms and a decline in health.
Even patients who are correctly diagnosed by their proctologists may suffer harm if the treatment they receive is not appropriate or is executed improperly. In other words, a physician may prescribe medication that is harmful due to a pre-existing condition affecting a patient or is insufficient to treat the person’s disease. In many cases, patients are injured when a proctologist commits an error during a diagnostic or surgical procedure. For example, the doctor may puncture an organ or a patient’s bowels, which can cause infection and permanent deficits. A physician may also harm a patient by failing to interpret test results properly.
Recovering Damages Following Proctologist MalpracticeProctologists that recklessly injure their patients should be held liable for the losses they cause. Typically, a patient seeking damages from a doctor will file a medical malpractice lawsuit asserting that the doctor acted negligently. In Maryland, proving negligence in the medical context requires a plaintiff to demonstrate that the defendant provider had a duty to provide the plaintiff with treatment that met the applicable standard of care. In a proctologist malpractice case, the standard of care that applies is the care that a reasonable doctor would provide when presented with a similar set of facts.
After a plaintiff establishes the standard of care, it must show that the defendant’s behavior or failure to act constitutes a departure from the standard of care. Typically, a plaintiff will establish the standard and offer proof of a breach of the standard via a medical expert's testimony. To be qualified to testify as an expert, a person usually must practice in the same area as the defendant or have related experience.
After showing that the defendant breached the standard of care, the plaintiff must then prove that the breach proximately caused the harm alleged. In other words, the plaintiff must show that the injuries sustained are directly attributable to the defendant’s behavior. In most cases, proving causation requires expert testimony as well. A plaintiff the proves a defendant’s liability may recover damages for the cost of any needed medical treatment, lost wages, and compensation for the mental anguish, pain, and suffering caused by the defendant’s breach.
Meet with a Trusted Attorney in BaltimoreProctologists are highly skilled doctors, but they can cause significant harm when they depart from their training. If you sustained injuries due to a reckless proctologist, you might be able to seek damages, and you should speak to a lawyer. The attorneys of Arfaa Law Group are mindful of the devastation that medical errors can cause, and we can gather the facts and evidence needed to help you seek the best outcome available under the facts of your case. We frequently help parties harmed by medical malpractice pursue claims in lawsuits in Baltimore, where we have an office. We can be reached via our form online or at (410) 889-1850 to set up a meeting.