Hematology Malpractice

There are numerous blood disorders that must be carefully monitored by a physician, typically a hematologist. Hematology is a complicated area of medicine that requires rigorous attention to detail and extensive training to ensure that practitioners are amply qualified to protect the health of their patients. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a hematologist to fail to order appropriate tests or properly manage a disease, which can result in hematology malpractice. If you sustained damages due to a doctor’s incompetent management of a blood disorder, you might be owed damages, and it is in your best interest to speak to a lawyer. The assertive Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group are skilled at helping prove that negligent doctors should be held accountable for the harm they cause their patients. If we represent you, we will fight tirelessly to help you pursue the best result available under the facts of your case.

Hematologists care for patients that are suffering from blood conditions. While some ailments they treat are relatively minor many, including hemophilia, leukemia, and lymphoma, can be critical. Thus, if a doctor treating a condition commits an error, it can lead to worsening of the condition, the development of a new condition, and in extreme cases, death. A mistake commonly made by hematologists is the failure to recognize that the symptoms a patient presents with indicate that the patient may be suffering from a specific condition, which results in a delayed or missed diagnosis. Additionally, in some instances, a hematologist may be able to determine that there is a cause for concern but may fail to conduct the tests needed to appropriately diagnose the patient. Finally, a doctor may harm a patient even after providing an accurate diagnosis, by failing to provide the treatment needed to manage the patient’s condition.

A hematologist that fails to provide a patient with competent treatment may be liable for malpractice. Usually, a plaintiff in a lawsuit arising out of a doctor’s failure to provide proper care will assert a negligence claim against the defendant. Pursuant to Maryland law, a plaintiff alleging a defendant committed medical negligence must first show that the defendant had a duty to provide treatment that met the accepted standard of care, but that the defendant violated that duty. The standard of care that applies is the care that a competent professional working in the same practice area would provide under the same set of facts that were presented to the defendant.

For example, if a hematologist diagnoses a patient with an elevated white blood cell count with leukemia, but the defendant failed to provide standard care, it may constitute a breach of the duty owed to the plaintiff. Finally, the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s failure to comply with the standard of care caused the plaintiff’s harm. In other words, the plaintiff must show the injury or illness the plaintiff suffered would not have occurred had the defendant rendered appropriate care.

Few laypeople have independent knowledge regarding the standard of care that applies to hematologists. As such, in the majority of cases, a plaintiff will need to retain a medical expert to offer testimony regarding the standard of care that applies and what acts or omissions of the defendant constitute a deviation from the standard. Usually, the expert will have to be a doctor that practices in the same specialty as the defendant, but in some cases, other individuals may be qualified to offer an opinion.

Blood disorders generally must be carefully managed, and, if they are not, can gravely impair a person’s health. If you were injured due to hematology malpractice, you should speak to a lawyer regarding your rights. At Arfaa Law Group, our experienced Baltimore attorneys possess the skills and resources required to help people injured by negligent medical care recover damages, and we can help you in your pursuit of any compensation you may be able to recover for your harm. We are based in Baltimore and frequently represent people throughout the city in medical malpractice lawsuits. We can be reached via our online form or at 410-889-1850 to schedule a meeting.