Infectious Disease Malpractice

Many infectious diseases are highly contagious and cause life-threatening health issues. As such, when doctors fail to appropriately prevent, diagnose, and treat such illnesses, it can cause substantial losses, and they should be held accountable for the harm caused by their carelessness. If you are a victim of infectious disease malpractice, you may be able to pursue claims against the doctor responsible for your harm, and it is advisable to contact an attorney to assess your options. The knowledgeable Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group proudly help people hurt by the carelessness of their doctors recover damages for their losses, and if you engage our services, we will advocate aggressively on your behalf.

Infectious disease doctors diagnose and treat healthcare and community-acquired infections that are difficult to treat, like HIV/AIDS, coronavirus, influenza, tuberculosis, pneumonia, meningitis, and hepatitis. These infections may be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other organisms.

Infectious diseases spread easily from one person to another, either through direct or indirect contact. The symptoms such diseases present depend on the specific organism involved, but common signs of an infectious disease include fever and fatigue. Treatment for infectious diseases varies but often includes antibiotics.

If a doctor fails to manage an infectious disease properly, it can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries. In some instances, a physician’s failure to identify and treat an infectious disease will result in the transmission of the disease to other people.

The failure to manage infectious diseases often constitutes malpractice, and patients harmed by such carelessness may be able to recoup compensation from the physicians that caused their injuries via civil claims. A plaintiff in a lawsuit arising out of infectious disease malpractice will most likely set forth a negligence claim against the defendant.

Under Maryland law, a plaintiff averring a defendant acted negligently must establish a duty imposed on the defendant. In the context of a relationship between a doctor and a patient, the duty owed is to offer treatment that comports with the applicable standard of care, which is the care a capable doctor that works in the same practice area would provide when faced with an analogous situation. The plaintiff then must establish that the defendant’s behavior comprises a breach of the standard of care. Lastly, the plaintiff has to prove that by departing from the standard of care, the defendant directly caused the plaintiff to sustain injuries. In other words, the plaintiff must demonstrate that if the defendant complied with the standard of care, the plaintiff would not suffer harm.

In all but the clearest of cases, the plaintiff must hire a medical expert to describe the standard of care to the jury and to offer an opinion on the ways in which the defendant deviated from the standard of care and how the deviation caused the plaintiff’s harm. Expert testimony may also be needed to prove the plaintiff’s losses. If the plaintiff adequately demonstrates the defendant’s fault, the jury may award them compensation for their economic losses, like the cost of medical care, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages, as well as their non-economic harm, such as the physical pain, and mental and emotional distress caused by the defendant’s actions.

Doctors must take great care when treating infectious diseases to prevent them from spreading, and if they fail to employ the measures necessary to protect their patients, they should be held accountable. People injured by infectious disease malpractice have the right to seek compensation and should meet with an attorney as soon as possible. The trusted Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group have ample experience proving careless physicians should be held accountable for their negligence, and if you were harmed by infectious disease malpractice, we can help you seek any damages you may be owed. We have an office in Baltimore, where we frequently represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits. You can contact us through our form online or by calling us at (410) 889-1850 to set up a confidential meeting.