Medical Malpractice

Childbirth is a natural and normally safe process. However, it’s also a time during which babies are especially vulnerable. It is incredibly important for medical professionals to handle this pivotal procedure with extreme care and diligence. If a doctor or member of the medical staff fails to treat, or improperly treats, a complication or condition, […]

Medical malpractice lawsuits occur whenever a healthcare provider fails to follow standard procedures, misdiagnoses a medical condition, writes the wrong prescription, or makes a surgical mistake, among other negligent acts. If a patient is harmed, then this could be a case of medical malpractice. With a medical malpractice claim, the injured victim’s attorney has the […]

Potter Burnett Law is pleased to announce that Deborah Potter, Suzanne Burnett, and Andrew Burnett have all been recognized by top legal rating service, Super Lawyers, as members of their Top Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. These esteemed lists highlight the hard work and time that they devote to their practice and clients. Deborah was […]

Medications are designed to help you, not hurt you. Medication errors are becoming increasingly common as health providers are pressured to provide more efficient care to patients. What is a Medication Error? A medication error is a preventable event that leads to inappropriate medication usage that can result in patient harm. This can be caused […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently revealed that Zantac and generic varieties could contain a chemical that may be linked to cancer. Lawsuits against Zantac manufacturers allege that the drug contains a cancer-causing chemical called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Patients are advised to stop taking medications containing this harmful chemical. If you believe you have […]

What is CIDP? Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is a rare disorder that occurs when the myelin sheaths that surround the peripheral nerves are damaged. Myelin helps ensure that signals from the brain are quickly transmitted to the right parts of the body. If destroyed, there is a lack of communication between the brain and body […]

A decrease in blood flow to the baby’s tissues, or decrease in oxygen in the baby’s blood pre-, during, or post-delivery is called Perinatal asphyxia. Some of the most common causes of Perinatal asphyxia include the following: Placenta has separation from the uterus before delivery (placental abruption) Umbilical cord blood flow due to obstruction Fetus […]

  Bleeding around and within the brain (intracranial hemorrhage) is typically caused by the rupture of blood vessels that may have originated during birth. These blood-related issues may include: Injuries sustained at birth Decreases of delivery of blood or oxygen to the brain which may result in significant illness in the newborn A severe issue […]

Source: Long Term Care Community Coalition Contact: Richard Mollot, 212-385-0356 or RICHARD@LTCCC.ORG. March 3, 2020 — Concern over coronavirus is growing as a significant outbreak in the United States becomes increasingly likely. According to researchers, residents in nursing homes and other adult care facilities are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus due to their age, pre-existing medical […]

When shoulder dystocia occurs, it puts both mother and baby at risk for permanent damage. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, shoulder dystocia occurs in approximately 1 out of every 1,000 births. Shoulder dystocia happens when a baby’s shoulders remain stuck in the mother’s pelvis after the head of the infant has […]

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, also known as Intrapartum Asphyxia, is one of the most common types of brain damage in babies. According to the World Health Organization, HIE is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide in children under five years of age.  HIE causes an astonishing 23% of neonatal deaths worldwide. HIE is a condition […]

Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of brain disorders affecting infants in the United States. According to the CDC, it affects around 4 children out of every 1,000 children. How these deficiencies affect the individual will vary depending on what type of disorder the person has. Cerebral palsy is often used as an […]

We look to healthcare professionals to guard, maintain, and monitor our health and well-being. When doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals provide inadequate attention to important details, it could result in something extremely detrimental to our health, such as a cancer misdiagnosis. Patients need thorough examinations, one on one consultations, and careful attention when dealing […]

  Medical malpractice occurs when a health care provider neglects to provide a patient with appropriate treatment or provides substandard treatment that leads to injury or death. In Maryland, a health care provider can be medically negligent if they treat a patient below the industry standard of care or injure a patient in the process. […]

No one tracks sepsis cases closely enough to know how often these severe infections turn fatal, but the toll is enormous. Source: by Fred Schulte, Elizabeth Lucas, Kaiser Health News and Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune / Sep. 6, 2018 Shana Dorsey first caught sight of the purplish wound on her father’s lower back as he […]

The newborn’s skin may exhibit minor injuries after delivery, especially those areas receiving additional pressure during pre-delivery contractions, or bodily surfaces that first emerge from the birth canal during delivery. Forceps and assorted instruments required for normal delivery procedures can certainly injure the skin. Following breech deliveries, swelling and bruising may appear around the eyes […]

A patient injured by medical malpractice can recover a wide variety of damages, ranging from medical bills to the loss of enjoyment of life to future loss of earnings. Ultimately, the answer to the question of “What has the injured patient lost?” adds up to a dollar figure. However, there are actually two types of […]

  Infants and young children cannot explain their symptoms if they are sick making it very difficult to pinpoint what’s wrong. Because of this, we count on doctors to recognize symptoms in children, make an accurate diagnosis, and carry out an effective treatment plan. Unfortunately, this duty of care sometimes goes unfulfilled. In fact, medical […]

Nerve injuries—minor or life-threatening—may occur pre-delivery or during delivery. These nerve-related birth injuries typically cause weakness of the muscles controlled by the affected nerve. Nerve injuries symptoms may be observed through: A lopsided facial expression, resulting from facial nerve damage, or facial palsy Arm and/or hand weakness, called Brachial plexus nerve damage Difficulty breathing, called […]

The decision to look for a new doctor may be one you’ve recently decided to make because of a number of different factors. You may have just moved to the Maryland or Washington D.C. area or you may be unhappy with the care you have been receiving from your current doctor. You may have also […]

  The failure of medical professionals to communicate regarding any healthcare matter can pose serious outcomes. While communication failures are varied, the implications are real: unsafe patient care. A report issued by CRICO, a Harvard medical community owned insurance program, analyzed national medical malpractice claims and found that more than 30 percent of all claims […]

A newborn’s bones may be broken (fractured) during delivery, even when the delivery is considered normal by all other observations. In 1 to 2% of newborn birth injuries, a collarbone (clavicle) fracture is considered relatively common. A lump of tissue forms around the fracture which is not usually recognized until several days after delivery. When […]

Hematoma describes the combining of blood outside of the blood vessels but is more commonly known as a bruise. While a regular bruise on your arm or leg might not be anything to worry about, bruising of the brain can be extremely dangerous. What is the prognosis for Hematoma? Though most hematomas resolve by themselves, some […]

What is medical malpractice? Medical malpractice occurs when a health care provider neglects to provide a patient with an appropriate treatment or gives substandard treatment that leads to injury or death. In Maryland, a health care provider can be medically negligent if they injure or treat a patient below the industry standard of care. In […]

If you or a loved one has been harmed as the result of a medical professional’s negligence, you may be entitled to medical malpractice recovery. Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional fails to follow medical communities’ established practices, procedures and or guidelines that are used to diagnose, treat or care for a patient. Your […]

Anesthesia is one of the most dangerous parts of a surgical procedure. [1]Maybe that’s why it can take over 12 years to become a certified anesthesiologist. Even with tremendous training, current statistics indicate that 1 in every 200,000 to 300,000 patients die due to anesthesia complications.[2] Anesthesia errors can occur at any given time for […]

In the year 2000, 2.8 million prescriptions were filled which equates to an average of 10 prescriptions for every person in the United States. Although prescriptions can be beneficial in certain instances, they can also be very dangerous and cause hazardous side effects. The following lists three heavily promoted prescription drugs with potentially dangerous side […]

Birth is a joyous moment, but sadly, sometimes these moments are tainted with complications. Birth injuries are categorized as damage sustained during the birthing process. Typically, these injuries occur during transit through the birth canal. In most cases, injuries can be resolved without treatment but other times, severe nerve damage or broken bones can occur. […]

  Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) providers embrace the responsibility of anticipating any potential problems reasonably foreseeable and were necessitated, the authority to actively intervene during labor and delivery to prevent harm. Negligence—the failure to act in accordance with accepted standards of care—are correspondingly at the center of birth injury. The most common birth trauma and […]

Every year millions of infants are born with brain damage that has life-long consequences that will require expensive care and treatment. There are many different causes that can lead to infant brain damage including oxygen deprivation, infections from the mother, or physical trauma.  Oxygen Deprivation Babies that experience oxygen deprivation, even for a few moments, […]

Slips and falls happen anywhere at any time, but inclement weather can make certain areas hazardous and increase your likelihood of slipping and falling. Maryland Law makes it difficult to successfully bring a slip and fall claim and requires you to prove: Notice – You must prove the owner of the premises knew or should […]

Every year thousands of patients fall victim to surgical error. A surgical error is a form of medical malpractice and is considered a preventable mistake that occurs during surgery. An Institute of Medicine study shows that medical error is the cause of an estimated 98,000 deaths per year. There are many different surgical errors that can […]