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Leading Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Helping our clients win since 1999
Mr. Jaklitsch is an amazing attorney. He has a wonderful team as well. They treated my wife and I like family. We will always appreciate the hard work they put into our case. They are the absolute BEST. 🙂
Joe Hemby
Helping our clients win since 1999
Joe Hemby
Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers
We trust that the healthcare professionals attending to our needs will have our best interests in mind. When medical professionals fail to uphold their duty and act with negligence, they can cause severe and debilitating injuries.
Medical malpractice is a complex area of law that requires patience, expertise, and skill. At Jaklitsch Law Group, our medical malpractice attorneys have years of experience handling the most challenging health care injury cases.
To set up a free consultation with experienced medical malpractice lawyers near you, contact our Maryland law firm today.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
People make mistakes every day. However, in the healthcare industry, these mistakes are inexcusable. Healthcare providers have patient’s lives in their hands, and when they make errors in judgement, patients can suffer life-threatening or even fatal injuries.
If your healthcare provider made a medical error, you may have grounds for legal action against them. Working with our respected medical malpractice lawyers is the best way to protect your rights and potentially prevent future medical mistakes from affecting Maryland patients.
The Legal Duty of Medical Professionals
Healthcare professionals are held to a national standard of care. Similar to how personal injury claims are handled, healthcare providers owe their patients a duty of care.
Anytime a healthcare provider makes a mistake or error that another healthcare provider of similar job training, experience, and knowledge would not have made, the medical duty of care may have been breached.
How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Maryland?
The statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in Maryland is five years from the date of the injury, or three years from the date the injury became known to the patient, whichever is earlier.
There’s a reason for this distinction. Many victims of medical malpractice are not aware that they suffered injuries.
For example, if a medical sponge was left inside a patient during surgery, it may be weeks or months until the patient begins to exhibit symptoms which would cause them to seek medical treatment.
The Deadline Accounts for Seeking Second Opinions
Many people may not realize they received a misdiagnosis until they begin to exhibit troubling symptoms, which causes them to seek a second opinion from another physician. Many times, it’s that other physician who informs the patient that they were misdiagnosed by their previous doctor.
With Jaklitsch Law Group handling your medical malpractice case, you can rest easier knowing your claim will be filed before time runs out. Your malpractice injury lawyer will analyze your medical records and the circumstances of your case to determine when the statute of limitations will expire and how much longer you have to file your claim.
Health Care Professional Who May Be Liable in a Medical Malpractice Case
Medical malpractice cases are complex, and oftentimes multiple defendants will be named in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our attorneys are prepared to take legal action against one or more of the following parties:
- Physicians
- Surgeons
- Anesthesiologists
- Hospital staff
- Nurses
- Nursing aides
- Psychiatrists and psychologists
- Pediatricians
- Pharmacists
- Paramedics
- Obstetricians
- Midwives
- Dentists
In addition, our team is ready to take on medical institutions for systemic issues that harm patients, including walk-in clinics, out-patient facilities, and hospitals.
our practice
Medical Malpractice Cases
Our team has experience handling various types of medical malpractice cases in Maryland, such as birth injuries, diagnostic errors, surgical errors, medication errors, and more.
Surgical Errors
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Birth Injury
Defective Medical Device
Other Medical Malpractice
Maryland Brain Injury Lawyers
Surgical Errors
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Birth Injury
Defective Medical Device
Other Medical Malpractice
Maryland Brain Injury Lawyers
Why You Need a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Part of the reason so many instances of medical practice go unreported is that patients do not know that this standard of care has been violated. Our dedicated Maryland medical malpractice attorneys have the experience to recognize this breach and are ready to help you hold health care professionals accountable for their negligence.
In addition, medical professionals often work with skilled defense attorneys and insurance companies to challenge every aspect of a plaintiff’s legal claims. Retaining a highly experienced medical malpractice attorney from Jaklitsch Law Group is necessary if you want to stand up to the counterarguments asserted by defense counsel.
Why Choose Jaklitsch Law Group for Your Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Jaklitsch Law Group is a boutique law firm with ample legal experience and a proven track record that’s comparable to much larger practices in the state of Maryland. Our medical malpractice attorneys are committed to our clients, and we are ready to be sound advocates for you when health professionals provide substandard care.
Our Lawyers Have Nearly 70 Years of Combined Experience
Our team of medical negligence lawyers have almost seven decades of combined experience practicing law. This includes experience as a defense attorney for major corporations and years of trial experience as a prosecutor. Our legal team can use this diverse knowledge set to build better cases and develop sound trial strategies as we advocate for medical malpractice victims.
Our Lawyers Have Won More Than 9,000 Injury Cases
Our law firm was founded in 1999. Over the years, our lawyers have won more than 9,000 personal injury and medical malpractice cases for the people of Maryland. This has resulted in more than $200 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We’ve helped many households put their lives back together and plan ahead for the future.
Our Lawyers Are Ready and Willing to Go to Trial
Many personal injury attorneys will settle cases in order to save time. At Jaklitsch Law Group, we’re willing to go to trial if it means we can maximize the amount of compensation we can win for clients all over Maryland. Our medical malpractice attorneys will always consider what is in your best interests, and we are ready to go toe-to-toe with hospitals, insurance companies, and other powerful interests.
Request a Free Consultation with Our Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorneys
If you or a member of your family has been seriously harmed by a negligent medical professional, the attorneys at Jaklitsch Law Group are ready to be your legal advocates. To request a free consultation with experienced medical malpractice lawyers near you, contact our Maryland law firm.
Common Types of Medical Malpractice Cases
Medical negligence can take different forms. Below are some of the more common kinds of medical malpractice cases that Jaklitsch Law Group has worked on in the state of Maryland.
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors cover a wide range of mistakes, from leaving medical tools in a patient to operating on the wrong limb, organ, or patient. When surgical mistakes occur, our medical malpractice lawyers will hold the surgeon or the medical facility accountable for what happened.
Anesthesia Errors
Mistakes by anesthesiologists can be potentially life-threatening. These kinds of medical errors often involve using too much or too little anesthesia, injuries during intubation, failing to monitor a patient’s vital signs, or failing to identify potential allergic reactions to anesthesia.
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Detecting cancer at its earliest stages improves a patient’s chances of successful treatment and survival. When doctors fail to diagnose cancer, the consequences could be fatal. If you or someone you love has suffered from cancer misdiagnosis, our Maryland medical malpractice lawyers can hold the negligent doctor accountable.
Failure to Diagnose
In addition to cancer, doctors may fail to diagnose all kinds of terminal or chronic health conditions. They may also diagnose a health problem in its later stages even though symptoms and warning signs were evident much sooner. These are grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Birth Injuries
Injuries during childbirth can cover everything from injuries to babies during delivery, delayed c-sections, and even errors by a mother’s OB/GYN during pregnancy. Our attorneys can hold negligent doctors accountable for putting the lives of infants and mothers at risk.
Prescription Errors
Doctors need to be diligent when filling out prescriptions for patients. If they prescribe the incorrect dosage, the wrong medication, or do not check for potential allergies and contraindications, it could lead to serious and potentially life-threatening harm.
Pharmacy/Medication Errors
Medical malpractice over prescription medications also apply to pharmacies and pharmacists. Mistakes might include giving someone the wrong prescription medication and mislabeling of prescription drugs, both of which can cause serious harm.
Defective Medical Devices
Defective medical devices refer to all kinds of equipment that may be used during surgery or medical treatment, such as hip and joint replacements, surgical mesh, and bone grafts. When these devices fail and cause health complications, our Maryland medical malpractice lawyers can help.
Fatal Medical Mistakes
If you lose a loved one because of a medical professional’s mistakes, our lawyers can help you file a wrongful death claim. These legal actions help bereaved families seek compensation to address the losses associated with their loved one’s preventable death.
Informed Consent in Medicine
Physicians must obtain informed consent when they provide medical treatment to a patient. This means your healthcare provider must explain procedures and ensure that you understand the scope of any medical procedure. Patients must also provide informed consent before a physician may proceed. Medical professionals cannot continue with treatment until they obtain a patient’s informed consent.
Even with informed consent, medical malpractice may occur. In some cases, physicians may hide their mistakes, claiming that they are side effects and symptoms associated with the treatment that was implemented. You may be experiencing the fallout of a medical error as opposed to side effects that coincide with medical treatment. Our lawyers can review what happened and help you discover the true cause of your medical problems.
Maryland Law Requires a Certificate of Qualified Expert in Medical Malpractice Cases
You need to be prepared to have an expert witness interview you regarding your medical treatment and your interactions with the healthcare provider named as a defendant in your case. These expert witnesses will then sign a certificate of a qualified expert, which will be submitted with your medical malpractice claim.
Without certification of medical malpractice by an expert, the court system may refuse to hear your case.
Challenges Associated with Expert Witnesses
One of the most difficult aspects of medical malpractice cases is retaining expert witnesses who will testify regarding the breach of the standard care committed by the healthcare provider who caused your injuries. Medical professionals often do not want to testify against their fellow healthcare providers, so it may be necessary to retain an expert witness from out of state who can assist you and your attorney.
Our medical malpractice lawyers in Maryland will be able to determine which expert witnesses are necessary for your case.
Typically, the use of medical experts will be based on the type of injuries you suffered and the type of medicine your physician practices. For example, an orthopedic surgeon may need to be retained as an expert witness if your injuries are due to malpractice committed by an orthopedic surgeon.
Medical Professionals Rely on Malpractice Insurance Coverage
Our lawyers will note the scope of any insurance coverage possessed by the physician who is named as a defendant in your medical malpractice case. Many hospitals and medical facilities employ physicians and surgeons as independent contractors rather than employees in order to minimize the risk of liability.
Malpractice insurance policies are complex. It can be difficult to understand the exact scope of the medical malpractice coverage if you do not have a skilled attorney assisting you with the contents of these insurance policies. The team at Jaklitsch Law Group are here to scrutinize those details and keep you informed throughout the duration of your case.
Medical Malpractice Insurance May Not Be Enough to Fully Cover Your Damages
Patients have the right to be fully compensated when they are the victims of medical malpractice. Unfortunately, malpractice insurance coverage is often insufficient.
Malpractice insurance coverage may only cover your medical expenses, ongoing medical treatment, and maybe your loss of income. While helpful, insurance may not reflect the total value of your economic and non-economic damages. When this happens, we may need to bring your medical malpractice case to trial.
Examples of the damages our attorneys can help you recoup as part of a medical malpractice lawsuit include:
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of employee benefits
- Loss of household services
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Loss of consortium
- Damage to personal property
Punitive damages could also be awarded in your medical malpractice case. Punitive damages are typically reserved for gross negligence or intentional malice, which applies more often than you might think in medical malpractice claims.
You should never plan to be awarded punitive damages, but if the judge and jury issue a punitive damages award in your case, it could dramatically increase the total value of your settlement.
Request a Free Consultation with Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Maryland
Suffering a serious injury or illness while you are under the care of a physician can be demoralizing. The attorneys at Jaklitsch Law Group are here to help you seek compensation so you can recover and plan for your future. To set up a free case evaluation with experienced Maryland medical malpractice attorneys near you, contact Jaklitsch Law Group today.
The best win is the trust from our clients
I hired Rick Jaklitsch – Jaklitsch Law Group to represent me after I was rear ended and hurt while sitting at a traffic light. They were professional and made me fell as if I was the only one they were representing. I was extremely pleased with the service and outcome. I would use them again in a heartbeat if needed.
Ralph Ennis
I hired Rick Jaklitsch - Jaklitsch Law Group to represent me after I was rear ended and hurt while sitting at a traffic light. They were professional and made me fell as if I was the only one they were representing. I was extremely pleased with the service and outcome. I would use them again in a heartbeat if needed.
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