Medical Malpractice Maryland - Wrongful Death Washington D.C.

The death of a loved one is a difficult issue to contend with even when the death is expected. Even more difficult to cope with is the wrongful death of a loved one that occurs due to the wrongful or negligent acts of a physician or nurse within the medical community. When a parent, spouse, or child suffers a tragic demise due to the wrongful or negligent acts of another, the death is considered a wrongful death and is medical malpractice. When these wrongful or negligent acts occur at the hands of a physician or nurse, the wrongful death may be considered medical negligence. Because a wrongful death due to medical malpractice can go undiscovered, it is important to contact an experienced Maryland medical malpractice attorney as soon as practicable. A skilled attorney can conduct a thorough investigation and uncover the cause of the wrongful death which otherwise may be swept under the rug by the medical providers. Robinson & Associates, medical malpractice lawyers has offices in Maryland and Washington D.C. and can assist victims in neighboring states on a case by case basis.

Maryland medical malpractice occurs when a physician or nurse fails to provide medical treatment in accordance with established community standards of care and a patient is injured or dies as a result. Medical malpractice can arise as the result of a delay in diagnosis, surgical error, birth injury, improper treatment, or a prescription drug error. In some cases, these examples of medical malpractice lead to the wrongful death of the patient. When a wrongful death occurs, the physician, nurse, and/or hospital may be held liable for damages if the death occurred due to medical negligence or medical error. Robinson and Associates can provide assistance to those in need of legal representation in all forms of medical malpractice cases.

The victim’s family needs to be able to provide evidence that their loved one died due to medical negligence or medical error. An attorney well-versed and knowledgeable in the area of malpractice or wrongful death due to medical negligence will be able to help the victim’s family gather the evidence necessary to hold the physician, nurse or hospital accountable for the victim’s wrongful death. All the facts of the case must be distilled in a clear and concise manner in order to demonstrate how the negligence or error ultimately led to the wrongful death of the victim.

Those responsible for the medical negligence or medical error that led to the death of the patient can be held liable for damages. The victim's family may be entitled to monetary compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. The victim's family may be awarded financial remuneration for things such as medical expenses, funeral costs, and loss of companionship. Robinson and Associates will identify the medical malpractice and work aggressively to negotiate or litigate a fair and appropriate result for the victim's family and the estate of the deceased.

If you have questions regarding medical malpractice claims in Maryland or Washington D.C., Robinson and Associate’s experienced litigators will provide answers to your questions. Call or click here for more information or a free case evaluation.

Various types of lawsuits can arise from medical malpractice, but the most troubling and disconcerting lawsuits are those that involve the wrongful death of an individual. Because most individuals trust their healthcare providers with their health and well-being, it is often difficult to imagine that the death of an individual could come at the hands of the very healthcare provider in whom the individual trusted. Unfortunately, incidents such as these do occur when the healthcare provider acts negligently or makes deadly medical mistakes. According to The Institute of Medicine, approximately 1 in 5 medical errors are potentially serious or fatal. It has been estimated that approximately 98,000 people die each year due to medical malpractice, and many of these deaths are the result of preventable medical errors.

Types of medical malpractice that result in the death of an individual include: failure to diagnose, improper diagnosis, medication errors, and surgical errors. According to statistics, approximately 7,000 deaths occur each year due to medication errors alone. Wrongful death lawsuits are initiated by the family or the representatives of the estate of the deceased. These types of lawsuits are intended to hold accountable those responsible for the death of the individual. In Maryland and Washington D.C. families of victims of wrongful death may be entitled to monetary damages for things such as lost wages, loss of companionship, and emotional pain and suffering. While these monies will not replace the family’s deceased loved one, it can help families pay for funeral costs and medical expenses.

Because many of the wrongful death cases in Maryland and Washington D.C. are civil cases, the standard of proof in the case is simply a preponderance of the evidence. This is a less rigid burden of proof than clear and convincing evidence and beyond a reasonable doubt, which are standards of proof used in criminal cases. Families should not be intimidated by the perceived power of the healthcare provider or the evidence needed to prove the case. The wrongful death of an individual at the hands of a healthcare provider should not be ignored or disregarded by the family or the healthcare provider’s employer.

When families in Maryland or Washington D.C. feel their loved one’s untimely death was the result of medical malpractice, the law firm of Robinson and Associates can be of assistance. Robinson and Associates offers free, no obligation consultations to families that have lost loved ones because of a healthcare provider’s medical mistakes or negligence. They understand the sensitive nature of wrongful death cases and can offer legal counsel with the compassion and discretion the family needs and deserves.