Gaithersburg Nursing Home Medical Mismanagement Attorney

When a person experiences a situation of medical mismanagement experience it can be costly. Medical care, nursing home relocation, and physical therapy necessitated by the aftermath of neglect, among other damages, come with an expensive price tag. A legal settlement can recover these costs and future costs you might not have considered.

Economic damages, which account for the documented expenses due to a nursing home medical mismanagement case, include:

• Medical costs, like medicines, scans, tests, hospital stays, or procedures
• The expense of relocating to a new, safer nursing home
• Rehabilitative care
• Devices, such as wheelchairs, designed to support those with disabilities

These damages are not capped in Maryland. If a lawyer can argue that you and your family require them, they can be included in your settlement.

Medical mismanagement cases don’t just exact a financial toll, though. Victims often experience trauma, anxiety, and other mental strain after being mistreated at a nursing home. These damages, called non-economic damages, include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental trauma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions stemming from the incident or pattern of mismanagement

What If My Case Involves A Wrongful Death?

Our team at Brown & Barron is dedicated to getting justice for the victims of nursing home medical mismanagement cases involving wrongful death. We understand what the families of victims must go through, and we want to help. Although we know that a settlement can’t bring your loved one back, we’re committed to pursuing damages on our clients’ behalf, which can include:

• Funeral expenses
• The loss of a close personal relationship
• Medical bills incurred prior to the passing of your loved one

What Qualifies As Nursing Home Medical Mismanagement?

Nursing home medical mismanagement is a broad category, generally grouped with instances of neglect. Medical mismanagement typically covers instances where nursing home staff fails to provide adequate treatment to their clients. The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that one in five emergency room visits were related to nursing home abuse or neglect. Some examples include:

• Nutritional neglect: The elderly are particularly susceptible to nutritional neglect. Not only are they sensitive to the health conditions that can arise from a lack of nutrition, but they also often have difficulty feeding themselves. Nutritional neglect arises when nursing home staff doesn’t take the time to ensure that their clients are well-fed.
• General medical neglect: Failure to monitor regular medication intake can impact the elderly adversely. Nursing staff must be diligent in ensuring that all medications and dosages are administered to their clients exactly as the doctor has ordered.
• Neglect during surgery: Surgery, and other complex medical operations, have a thin margin of error. For example, incorrectly administering anesthesia to an elderly patient can lead to severe injury or death.
• Missed diagnosis/misdiagnosis: Most health problems worsen with time, meaning doctors or nurses must identify conditions as early as possible. A missed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis can delay critical medical intervention, which could be grounds for a nursing home medical mismanagement lawsuit.

How Long Do I Have To File A Nursing Home Medical Mismanagement Case?

Nursing home medical mismanagement cases in Gaithersburg are subject to Maryland’s medical malpractice statute of limitations. The time limit to file a claim is almost always three years from the date of injury. In limited circumstances, when an injury is not immediately known, the statute can be extended to three years from the time the injury was discovered. However, even with this extension, the lawsuit must be filed within five years from the date of the negligence

If you fail to meet your deadlines, you’re typically out of luck and won’t be able to pursue a lawsuit. For this reason, we urge you to get started on your case as soon as possible. The earlier you secure legal representation, you give your lawyers the opportunity to investigate your case before evidence is spoiled or key witness testimony is lost.

If you’re confused about the statute of limitations associated with your case, a lawyer from our team can answer your questions. Contact us today to learn more.