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Laboratory Errors

Medical Malpractice Lawyer Helping Patients in Baltimore Bring Claims for Compensation

Medical professionals have a duty to properly administer, interpret, and report laboratory tests. In fact, laboratory test results may be vital to a patient’s health. If you or someone close to you has been a victim of a laboratory error, it is important to speak to a seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice attorney who understands this nuanced area of the law. We can look into the specific course of events and determine what went wrong and who was responsible. Our firm works hard to seek full and fair compensation for victims.

Taking Legal Action Following a Laboratory Error

Cases involving laboratory errors often lead to improper diagnoses and failures to treat medical conditions, ranging from infections to cancer. Although there are protocols in place to prevent laboratory errors, mishaps do happen more frequently than you may think. Laboratory mistakes may take place in a variety of ways. Some examples include:

  • Conducting the wrong tests;
  • Misreading or incorrectly interpreting the lab results;
  • Mixing up patient samples;
  • Mixing up patient information;
  • Mislabeling samples or failing to keep proper records;
  • Excessively delaying testing of a patient sample;
  • Recording inaccurate information;
  • Contaminating samples;
  • Failing to communicate results in a timely manner; or
  • Failing to order the necessary follow up tests.

Lab mistakes sometimes result in unnecessary follow up testing or medical procedures as a result of a false positive, or they may result in delays in life-saving treatment due to misread results. In some cases, laboratory errors are fatal. If you have suffered any type of harm because of a lab error, you can file a medical malpractice claim against the at-fault party.

Medical malpractice cases arise when a patient is harmed by a medical professional who fails to provide proper health care treatment. Specifically, medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional causes an injury by failing to adhere to the standard of care that a medical professional in that specialty would have been expected to use in the same or similar circumstances. In order to establish medical malpractice, the plaintiff must show that the medical professional owed the patient a duty of care, the medical professional breached the duty of care owed to the patient by making a laboratory error, and the error was a direct cause of the patient’s harm. Multiple parties may be liable in some cases. We can help identify all of the parties who may be at fault and proceed accordingly.

Maryland law allows victims of laboratory errors to seek economic and non-economic damages for the harm that they have suffered. These damages typically include medical expenses (including future medical costs), lost wages and benefits, pain and suffering, and any other losses stemming from the malpractice. The specific amount of damages that you will be entitled to receive will depend on the extent and nature of the harm suffered.

Medical malpractice claims must be filed within a certain time frame, known as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases in Maryland is five years from the date of the injury or three years from when the injury was discovered, whichever is earlier. If you do not file a civil claim within this deadline, you may lose your right to compensation.

Retain a Baltimore Attorney to Assert Your Rights Against a Health Care Provider

If you or someone close to you was harmed because of a laboratory error in Baltimore or elsewhere, you should reach out to a skilled attorney who can vigorously advocate for your rights throughout the entire legal process. At Arfaa Law Group, we are committed to helping victims of laboratory errors recover compensation for their injuries. We represent injured patients and their families in many communities throughout the state of Maryland. For more information or a free consultation with an injury attorney, you should call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.