Premature Discharge From Hospital

When you go to the hospital for medical care, you expect (and should expect) to receive competent treatment. When a patient receives a premature discharge from the hospital, only to experience complications shortly afterwards, that patient may suffer serious harm. If this has happened to you or someone in your family, you may be entitled to compensation. At Arfaa Law Group, Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer Julia Arfaa and her capable team can review the facts of your case and help you determine whether malpractice may have occurred. We have achieved a series of substantial settlements and verdicts on behalf of Maryland residents who have been harmed by medical negligence.

There may be a number of reasons why a patient is discharged early, ranging from overcrowding to the hospital being short-staffed to there not being enough beds. The hospital may also be very busy and rushing to finish up with patients quickly. Some examples of injuries that may be caused by an early discharge include a lack of diagnosis and treatment, adverse drug effects, hospital-acquired infections, and a discharge prior to receiving negative test results.

Not every early release of a patient means that a hospital was negligent. Medical malpractice occurs when a medical provider causes harm by failing to adhere to the standard of care that another medical provider would have used in the same or similar circumstances. In other words, the actions of the defendant provider are compared to what a competent doctor or hospital would have done when treating a patient with similar symptoms and characteristics. If the hospital or its staff deviated from what should have been done, and the patient would not have been hurt if they had acted competently, a medical malpractice lawsuit will likely be appropriate.

An expert witness is required in virtually every medical malpractice case in Maryland. Expert witnesses typically testify that the medical professional in question failed to provide an acceptable level of care, and they can explain to a judge or a jury why the plaintiff’s injuries were a direct result of this carelessness. The expert witness must be in the same field as the defendant. Many of these cases hinge on whether the plaintiff or the defendant retains a more credible expert, so it is critical to hire an attorney who has access to knowledgeable and persuasive experts.

If it is established that a premature discharge from the hospital was medical malpractice, a patient may be able to recover compensation for their past and future medical bills, lost income and benefits, pain and suffering, rehabilitation costs, and any other losses arising from the malpractice. The exact amount of compensation will depend on the specific facts of your case and the impact that your injuries have on your life overall.

Maryland, like other states, imposes a time frame in which medical malpractice claims must be filed. This time frame is known as the statute of limitations. A plaintiff typically has three years from the discovery of their injury or five years from the date of their injury, whichever is less. Failing to file your claim within the statute of limitations might mean losing your right to compensation altogether. That said, there may be exceptions that apply in your particular case, such as in cases involving young children whose injuries are not immediately apparent.

If you or a loved one was discharged from a hospital too soon, you should reach out to a skilled Baltimore attorney sooner rather than later. At Arfaa Law Group, we can look into the circumstances surrounding your release from the hospital and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim. We have helped many injured people throughout the state of Maryland seek the compensation that they deserve for their harm, and we can help you as well. To set up a free appointment with a hospital negligence lawyer, feel free to call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.