Was Your Child Hurt by a Pediatrician?
Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the care of infants, children, and adolescents. While the health and safety of children is obviously of utmost importance, medical mistakes involving the care of children frequently occur. Every year, infants, children and adolescents suffer serious injuries and, sometimes, death as a result of errors made by hospitals, pediatricians, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals.
When a child suffers an injury, it may have long-lasting ramifications not only for the child, but for the entire family. Children injured due to medical malpractice may require extensive lifelong care and treatment, which can be emotionally and financially devastating to the child and their loved ones.
According to a 2008 article published in the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most common misdiagnoses associated with pediatric malpractice lawsuits are:
- Meningitis – The inflammation of membranes covering the brain and/or spinal cord.
- Appendicitis – This condition is marked by inflammation of the appendix, which may require removal of the appendix.
- Specified Non-Teratogenic Abnormalities – These may include foot deformities, issues involving the spine, or craniofacial conditions.
- Pneumonia – This is a lung infection that may be very troubling for some children who get it.
- Brain-Damaged Infant – This may include an injury caused by a fall after vaginal delivery, inadequate hydration of a dehydrated newborn, or failure to diagnose hypoglycemia that leads to another condition.
In addition to common misdiagnoses in the treatment of children, there are many other mistakes that can occur in pediatric medical malpractice cases, including:
- Prescription Errors, including administering the wrong medication or an incorrect dosage of medicine
- Avoidable Birth Trauma
- Failure to Properly and Timely Treat a Condition
- Failure to Properly and Timely Refer to a Specialist
- Failure to Perform a Timely Caesarean Section
- Failure to Recognize Fetal Distress
- Failure to Follow Hospital Procedure
- Inadequate Hospital Procedure
Medical malpractice laws allow victims of pediatric mistakes to seek compensation for their damages, including medical costs, pain and suffering, and lost future earnings. If your child has suffered injuries caused by a healthcare professional, it is important to know your legal rights. Medical malpractice cases are complex and require the help of a skilled attorney who has extensive experience reviewing and handling these types of claims.
If your child has suffered personal injury, or wrongful death, as a result of pediatric malpractice in Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, or anywhere else in Maryland, the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Annalpolis-based Hyatt & Weber Injury Law can provide you with a complimentary evaluation of your case to assess what went wrong, determine whether the healthcare providers involved could or should have acted differently, and determine whether you are entitled to receive compensation for any damages caused by the healthcare provider’s negligence. Our goal is to help you receive the maximum compensation possible for your case.
Please call us today at 866-590-8719 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
