Iatrogenic Pneumothorax Malpractice

Dealing with a medical injury is not only physically painful but also stressful and sometimes very expensive. If you or someone close to you has suffered a collapsed lung due to medical negligence, the skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group can help. We know how to navigate complex malpractice claims and have obtained many substantial settlements and verdicts for patients in Maryland. You can rest assured that we will make every effort to protect your rights throughout the legal process if you have suffered from iatrogenic pneumothorax malpractice in a hospital or another health care setting.

Iatrogenic pneumothorax is a complication of medical or surgical procedures that allows air to leak into the area between the lungs and the chest wall, which causes mild to severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Put another way, iatrogenic pneumothorax is defined as a collapsed lung that results from a medical procedure or care. For example, iatrogenic pneumothorax may occur during a biopsy or while inserting a catheter into a major air vein in the neck. It is important to note that iatrogenic pneumothorax is a life-threatening condition that needs to be treated immediately.

According to the Patient Safety in American Hospitals, Health Grades 2004, approximately 1.011 per 1,000 hospitalized at-risk patients in the United States developed the condition from 2000-2002. Just over 18.5 percent of cases related to iatrogenic pneumothorax resulted in death during this time. Data from the same report show that almost seven percent of these deaths were related to patient safety incidents.

Physicians are trained to recognize the symptoms of iatrogenic pneumothorax, some of which include shortness of breath, chest pain, bluing skin, and other signs. To confirm that a patient has the condition, the physician should order a series of tests, such as a physical examination of the lungs so that irregularities can be recognized, a blood test to ascertain oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream, and a chest x-ray followed by a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis.

When a doctor misses a diagnosis of iatrogenic pneumothorax due to an error or carelessness, that doctor may be liable for medical malpractice. Not all adverse outcomes are results of medical malpractice. Instead, medical malpractice takes place when a health care provider’s actions fall outside the generally accepted standard of care. The standard of care depends on a number of factors, including the patient’s age and medical history and the particular injury or ailment being treated. In order to establish medical malpractice, the following elements must be shown by the greater weight of the evidence:

• The health care provider owed the patient a duty of care;
• The health care provider breached the duty; and
• The health care provider’s breach was a direct cause of the patient’s injury.

Each of the aforementioned elements must be demonstrated before the plaintiff can recover any compensation.

Just as with every other type of personal injury claim, medical malpractice cases must be filed within a certain time frame, which is called the statute of limitations. In Maryland, patients typically have five years from the date that the injury occurred or three years from the time that the patient discovered the injury, whichever is earlier. There may be certain exceptions to the rule when children are involved. Failing to file the claim within the statute of limitations could mean being permanently barred from taking legal action altogether.

If you or your loved one suffered from a collapsed lung due to a health care provider’s negligence, you need to speak to a diligent Baltimore attorney as soon as possible. At Arfaa Law Group, we can examine the facts of your case and begin taking steps to make sure that you obtain the compensation that you deserve for your harm. Our injury lawyers proudly represent people from across Maryland. To speak to a member of our team in more detail about your case, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.