Baltimore Laboratory Error Lawyer
Doctors rely on testing to diagnose their patients with certain illnesses. The laboratory responsible for performing the testing must provide the doctor with accurate test results. Those results aid a doctor in making their diagnosis, and can also eliminate other conditions the patient is not suffering from. When the results are wrong, patients do not receive the treatment they need, or they may receive treatment for another condition they do not have. When labs make mistakes that cause this serious harm, our Baltimore laboratory error lawyer holds them accountable.
What Lab Tests Do Doctors Order?
A doctor may request a number of different tests, but there are three that are the most common. These are blood tests, urine tests, and tumor markers. Every test will measure levels of chemical components in the bodily tissues and fluids. Doctors may also run many tests during a routine exam.
Tests provide indicators of diseases and conditions to doctors that help them make an accurate diagnosis. Laboratory tests can help doctors diagnose cancer, kidney function, cholesterol, diabetes, and infections. The majority of clinics and hospitals have in-house laboratories while some send their samples to outdoor labs.
Common Types of Laboratory Errors
Laboratory errors can be a result of improper reporting of the results, or of the actual administration of the test. The most common laboratory errors are as follows:
- Using unsterilized containers for samples
- Mislabeled specimen containers and test tubes
- Samples become contaminated during testing
- Providing a result to the wrong patient
- negligently misplacing or losing a sample
- Using improper ranges of “normal” for a patient
- Reporting the wrong result
- Failure to notify doctors of abnormal results
Filing a Lawsuit After a Laboratory Error
Patients that are harmed by a laboratory error may have the right to file a lawsuit against the medical professional that harmed them. Healthcare professionals owe patients the highest duty of care and when that duty is breached, injured individuals can file a lawsuit to recover financial compensation for their injuries.
Lawsuits filed based on a laboratory error are consideredmedical malpractice claims. Of all the different types of personal injury claims, those involving medical malpractice are some of the most complex. Maryland places strict requirements on these claims, including obtaining expert witness testimony from a healthcare professional in the same field as the defendant who can testify that the doctor or laboratory clinician acted negligently. A Baltimore laboratory error lawyer can help injured individuals through the process so they obtain the full and fair damages they deserve.
Our Laboratory Error Lawyer in Baltimore Will Protect Your Rights
If you have been hurt by a negligent lab, our Baltimore laboratory error lawyer can help with your case. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, our skilled attorneys are dedicated to helping victims of medical malpractice, and we want to help you, too. Call us today at 410-998-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you achieve a positive outcome with your claim.
