In Maryland, a medical malpractice action must be filed against a health care provider within a certain time period, or it may be dismissed. In a February 22, 2017 decision, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland reviewed a negligence claim filed by the plaintiff against her podiatrist, which had…
Articles Posted in Medical Negligence
Court Considers Whether Injury Claim Falls Under Maryland Health Care Act
The Maryland Health Care Malpractice Claims Act (Health Care Act) provides statutory procedures that apply to certain legal claims involving health care and medical treatment. Recently, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland decided whether a lower court correctly ruled that the plaintiff failed to follow rules set out in…
Maryland Court Considers Whether Defendant-Physician Was Qualified as an Expert in Medical Malpractice Case
There are several legal requirements necessary to bring a medical malpractice action in Maryland, one of which is expert testimony. The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland considered the issue of expert testimony in a recent case, Harper v. Calvert Ob/Gyn Assocs. of S. Maryland, LLC (Md. Ct. Spec. App.…
Maryland Court Considers Whether Physician Owes Duty to Non-Patient
In order to hold a defendant liable in a medical malpractice claim, the plaintiff must establish that the defendant owed them a duty of care. In the absence of a doctor-patient relationship, there are rare circumstances under which the law may impose a duty of care to a third party who…
Maryland Court Reviews $185,000 Jury Award to Plaintiff in Medical Negligence Case
The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland recently reviewed a jury award of $185,000 to a plaintiff for negligent conduct in a medical malpractice case. In Luecke v. Suesse (Md. Ct. Spec. App. Oct. 28, 2016), the plaintiff sued her doctor and her practice group, alleging that they were negligent…
Maryland Court Affirms Harsh Sanction for Failure to Comply with Scheduling Order in Medical Malpractice Case
In a recent medical malpractice case, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland considered whether striking a standard of care expert as a sanction for non-compliance with scheduling and discovery orders was an abuse of discretion by the trial court. In Queensbury v. Rafiq (Md. Ct. Spec. App. Sept. 26,…
Maryland Court Reviews Evidence of Causation in Medical Malpractice Appeal
In order to succeed in a negligence lawsuit, a plaintiff must not only prove that the defendant breached a duty of care but also prove that the defendant’s breach was the cause of the plaintiff’s injury. The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland addressed the issue of causation in a recent…
Imprecise Record-Keeping May Disqualify Experts in Maryland Medical Malpractice Cases Under the Twenty Percent Rule
Retaining legally qualified experts to testify in your medical malpractice case is a crucial part of a successful claim. The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland discussed some of these requirements in a recent medical malpractice case, Streaker v. Boushehri (Md. Ct. Spec. App. Sept. 28, 2016). In Streaker, the plaintiff…
Maryland Court Explains Tolling Exception for Medical Malpractice Claim of Person with Legally Appointed Guardian
In some cases, a medical malpractice claim may be brought after the statutory deadline for filing if it falls under a tolling exception. One of those exceptions may allow a mentally incompetent person to bring an action after the typical filing deadlines. In Kratz ex rel. Kratz-Spera v. MedSource Cmty.…
Maryland Court Rules Expert Testimony Required to Establish Plaintiff’s Claim for Lack of Informed Consent
The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland recently reviewed a personal injury case in which a patient sued her doctor for a failed sterilization procedure. In Tyler v. Judd (Md. Ct. Spec. App. June 30, 2016), the plaintiff sought treatment from her doctor to schedule a tubal ligation. She alleged…