Failure to Obtain Complete Medical History

When a person seeks medical treatment, one of the first steps the treating physician will take is to ask the person questions regarding his or her medical history. Obtaining a complete and accurate picture of a person’s health is necessary to provide appropriate treatment and a correct diagnosis. As such, if a doctor fails to get a comprehensive medical history from a patient, it can result in substantial harm. If you sustained damages due to your doctor's failure to obtain your complete medical history, you may be able to seek damages. The Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers of the Arfaa Law Group can assess the facts of your case and help you determine how to best assert your legal rights.

It is critical for doctors to acquire a person's entire medical history to accurately treat any conditions or illnesses the person may have. If a doctor fails to properly obtain a person's medical history, however, the doctor may not be able to diagnose the patient properly. A missed or improper diagnosis can result in the progression of the patient's ailment, and in many cases, the patient will suffer irreparable harm. For example, if a doctor does not question a patient regarding prior diagnostic tests performed by another physician, such as a stress test, the doctor may not be aware of abnormal test results that indicate a serious underlying heart condition. In some cases, a doctor may fail to ask the patient if he or she takes any medications or supplements, and therefore may fail to realize the patient's symptoms are caused or masked by the medications or supplements the patient takes. Similarly, if a doctor fails to note a patient has an allergy to a medication and prescribes the patient the medication despite the allergy, it can cause a serious adverse reaction.

Doctors must provide care commensurate with their training and skills, which includes the duty to obtain a complete medical history, and if they fail to do so, it may constitute medical malpractice. Generally, to prove a doctor should be held liable for medical malpractice under Maryland law, the injured patient must show that the doctor had a duty to uphold the applicable standard of care, the doctor breached that standard, and that the breach proximately caused the injured patient's harm. In medical malpractice cases, the standard of care is the level of care a competent physician in the same practice area would adhere to under similar circumstances. As most people do not have an understanding as to a doctor's specific duties in rendering care, expert testimony is critical to establish both the standard of care imposed on the doctor and the manner in which the doctor's actions or omissions constituted a breach of that standard. A knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney can help you identify an appropriate expert to testify in your case.

If the injured party's claim is successful, he or she may be awarded damages for the cost of any medical treatment needed due to the failure to obtain a complete medical history, as well as compensation for any lost earning capacity or loss of income. The injured party may be able to recover damages for pain and suffering as well. In cases in which the injured party was married at the time the harm occurred, his or her spouse may also be able to pursue a claim against the negligent physician.

If a doctor does not obtain the information needed to treat a patient properly, it can result in a missed or inaccurate diagnosis, which can cause lasting harm. If you suffered injuries due to a doctor’s failure to gather information about your health in Baltimore, it is prudent to speak with a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your options for seeking recourse. At Arfaa Law Group, we are proficient in aiding parties injured by malpractice in the pursuit of compensation, and we will diligently pursue any damages you may be able to recover. You can reach us through our form online or at 410-889-1850 to schedule a confidential and free meeting.