Suffering from a medical error can be life-altering, especially when it involves something as serious as bowel or bile duct malpractice. As you search for a qualified bowel and bile duct medical malpractice lawyer in Baltimore, look no further than Peter Angelos Law.

If you’ve suffered from a medical error, especially one involving bowel or bile duct malpractice, you understand the life-altering impact it can have. Call Peter Angelos Law at 410-705-2405 for immediate legal guidance. Our experienced Baltimore bowel and bile duct medical malpractice lawyers are here to empower you to hold negligent medical providers accountable, especially in gallbladder removal surgery cases, and ensure you recover the compensation you deserve in Maryland medical malpractice cases. Don’t wait—call now for the support you need.

Understanding Bowel and Bile Duct Injuries

Our bodies are complex systems, each part playing a vital role in ensuring our overall health. Take the digestive process, for example, where the bowel and bile ducts are instrumental. The bowel, or intestine, is responsible for absorbing nutrients and water from the food we eat. The bile ducts, on the other hand, are part of the biliary tree, which produces digestive juices essential for breaking down food in the small intestine. Both are crucial for the body’s proper growth and maintenance. The gallbladder, in particular, stores bile made by the liver, a crucial element in the digestion of food.

These critical components of our digestive system are not immune to harm. Injuries to the bowel and bile ducts can occur, posing significant risks. Bowel injuries can result from traumatic events like car crashes or penetrating injuries from sharp objects. Bile duct injuries can range from minor leaks to a complete transection, which can lead to severe complications if left untreated. Furthermore, the symptoms of these injuries may not show immediately and can develop over several hours or even days, making prompt medical attention crucial.

Bowel Injuries

Bowel injuries can occur from a range of causes, from traumatic incidents like car crashes, falls, or blows to the abdomen, to penetrating injuries from sharp objects such as gunshot wounds or knife stabbings. 

These injuries can lead to significant pain, a tight and distended abdomen, and potential infection from leakage of intestinal contents. In severe cases, the complications can be life-threatening. If untreated, bowel injuries can lead to grave complications, including infection and potentially life-threatening conditions.

The serious nature of these injuries underscores the need for immediate medical attention. But what happens when the providers who are supposed to help end up causing a serious injury, leading to serious complications? This brings us to the topic of medical malpractice, a common and often devastating occurrence in the medical field.

Bile Duct Injuries

Bile duct injuries, like bowel injuries, present a substantial risk to patients. These injuries can range from minor leaks to complete transection or resection of the ducts, with varying levels of severity as categorized by the Strasberg classification system. This system defines types of bile duct injuries, including Strasberg A (bile leaks), Strasberg B (occlusion), and Strasberg C (unnoticed leaks), among others, all requiring tailored management strategies.

If unaddressed, bile duct injuries can lead to severe complications such as cholangitis, bile peritonitis, sepsis, liver failure, and even death. Treatment options for these injuries depend on the type and severity of the injury, including endoscopic interventions, surgical repairs, and multidisciplinary approaches. Unfortunately, the repair of bile duct injuries can lead to postoperative complications such as anastomotic strictures, highlighting the need for long-term follow-up due to the potential for delayed formation.

The complexity of bile duct injuries, coupled with the potential for long-term morbidity and mortality, only compounds the tragedy when these injuries are the result of medical malpractice.

Medical Malpractice and Bowel/Bile Duct Injuries

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to fulfill their duty in care, deviating from the accepted standard of care, and as a result, causing harm to the patient. This duty in care is a legal obligation that requires healthcare providers to adhere to a set of standards designed to protect patients from harm.

If this breach in duty of care caused an injury or the worsening of an illness, it might be classified as medical malpractice. This is laid out in state statute Maryland Annotated Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings §3-2A. The Medical Malpractice Act states: “All claims, suits, and actions … by a person against a health care provider for medical injury allegedly suffered by the person … are subject to and shall be governed by the provisions of this act”.

This deviation can manifest in a variety of ways, including:

• Surgical errors
• Misdiagnosis
• Medication errors
• Failure to diagnose
• Delayed diagnosis
• Anesthesia errors
• Birth injuries

In the context of bowel and bile duct injuries, medical malpractice could mean the difference between a speedy recovery and a life-altering, potentially fatal, outcome. It is important to seek legal advice from Peter Angelos Law if you believe you have been a victim of medical malpractice.

Holding negligent medical providers accountable is not just about seeking justice for affected patients and their families. It’s also essential for preventing future tragedies and ensuring that healthcare providers uphold their duty of care.

Surgical Errors

In the operating room, precision and expertise are crucial, however, surgical errors can and do happen. For instance, during gallbladder surgery, surgeons may mistakenly cut bile ducts, indicating negligence in the procedure and potentially leading to gallbladder surgery malpractice. This error often occurs due to misidentification of the cystic duct due to variable biliary anatomy, compounded by the presence of risk factors such as anatomic variants, obesity, previous surgeries, underlying liver disease, and acute inflammation.

The implications of these errors are far-reaching. Bile duct injuries during a laparoscopic procedure, such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy, can be more involved and have a higher incidence compared to open surgeries, due to limitations in visualization and the challenges inherent to electrosurgical techniques. These injuries can lead to serious concerns for surgeons and frequent litigation, often resulting in significant punishments or compensation for patients when negligence is proven.

Misdiagnosis and Delayed Treatment

Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment can have severe consequences for patients with bowel and bile duct injuries. For instance, misdiagnosis of intestinal or bile duct obstructions can lead to severe pain, vomiting, constipation, untreated obstruction, liver damage, and even life-threatening symptoms.

Patients suffering from misdiagnosis or delayed treatment may face extended hospital time, further surgeries, and psychiatric injuries, potentially impacting their life expectancy and leading to future serious health issues.

Prompt and accurate detection of bile duct injuries is essential to prevent serious conditions such as cholangitis, portal hypertension, or cirrhosis. When medical providers deviate from the standard of care by failing to perform appropriate diagnostic tests, the risk of undetected and untreated bile duct injuries significantly increases. This is where a medical malpractice lawyer from Peter Angelos Law comes into the picture.

Seeking Legal Help: The Role of a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical malpractice can be daunting for those unfamiliar with the legal situation. This is where the role of a medical malpractice lawyer becomes invaluable. These professionals offer a wealth of experience in analyzing medical records, collaborating with medical providers, and leveraging medical experts to understand and prove the standard of care in malpractice cases. They conduct meticulous investigations to establish liability, manage the documentation and evidence necessary to prove malpractice and help clients understand the legal process, allowing them to focus on their recovery.

Medical malpractice attorneys are skilled in negotiating settlements with insurance companies and can advocate for their clients in trial to fight for fair compensation. These lawyers often work on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients do not incur upfront legal costs. Medical malpractice attorneys ensure the proper disbursement of compensation, including the settlement of medical liens and calculation of legal fees, after a successful medical malpractice claim settlement or trial.

Proving Negligence

Establishing negligence in medical malpractice is a critical step in the legal process. It involves proving that:

1. A healthcare provider had a duty of care toward the patient
2. The healthcare provider breached that duty
3. The breach directly caused an injury to the patient

This evidence must convince the court that the plaintiff’s account is more likely true than not.

Expert witness testimony plays a crucial role in confirming the medical provider breached the standard of care. In most cases, an affidavit of merit is necessary to demonstrate that a medical provider has determined there’s a reasonable cause for the lawsuit. In essence, proving negligence requires a thorough understanding of both the medical and legal aspects of the case, a task best suited for a skilled medical malpractice lawyer from Peter Angelos Law.

Recovering Damages

Once negligence has been established, the next step in a medical malpractice case is to recover damages. This compensation can include costs for:

• medical bills
• rehabilitation
• loss of past and future earnings
• other financial burdens resulting from the injury

In the case of gross negligence, punitive damages may be sought to ‘punish’ the wrongful actions of the healthcare providers.

Maryland imposes a cap on non-economic damages in Baltimore medical malpractice cases, which limits the amount claimants can receive for pain, suffering, and other non-financial losses.

Compensation for pain and suffering due to significant and long-term effects like scarring or disfigurement is a critical component of damages in medical malpractice claims. This makes it even more crucial to have an experienced medical malpractice lawyer on your side, advocating for your rights and your compensation.

Fight for Your Recovery with Peter Angelos Law

When you’re seeking justice for medical malpractice, having a trusted legal representative by your side can make all the difference. At Peter Angelos Law, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to providing personalized and experienced representation for bowel and bile duct injury cases. With over five decades of experience, we have been dedicated to providing support and legal representation to Maryland residents since its inception.

As a firm adept at handling a broad spectrum of cases, with particular experience in medical malpractice, we ensure our clients receive top-notch legal representation from our experienced medical malpractice attorney. We understand the critical role we play in our clients’ fight for justice, and we are committed to upholding our client-centered legacy and providing individualized attention and dedicated legal experience for each case.

We understand the financial burden that legal challenges can pose. To ease this burden, we ensure that our firm’s acquisition would not affect the contingency fee arrangement, maintaining financial stability for clients during their legal challenges.

If you are grappling with the aftermath of a bowel or bile duct injury due to medical malpractice, the path to justice should not add to your distress. Take the decisive step towards safeguarding your rights and recovering the compensation you deserve by reaching out to the seasoned legal team at Peter Angelos Law. Our experience in medical malpractice claims makes us an excellent ally. Don’t let hesitation hinder your pursuit of justice. 

Call us now at 410-705-2405 and let us champion your cause with the dedication and tenacity you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sue for a perforated bowel?

Yes, if you suffered a bowel perforation during a surgical procedure, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim, and it can cause serious health complications. Consider consulting a medical malpractice attorney.

What is a botched gallbladder surgery?

A botched gallbladder surgery can occur when the surgeon misidentifies the common bile duct, potentially causing obstruction, jaundice, pain, infection, and liver damage.

What is the burden of proof in medical malpractice cases?

In medical malpractice cases, the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff to prove every element of malpractice by a preponderance of the evidence. This means they must provide enough evidence to show it is more likely than not that the malpractice occurred.

How long do you have to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Maryland?

In Maryland, the general statute of limitations for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is three years from the date the injury was discovered, or five years from the date the injury occurred, whichever is earlier. However, there are exceptions to this rule, so it’s important to consult with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to ensure your claim is filed within the appropriate timeframe.

Can a medical malpractice case be settled out of court?

Yes, many medical malpractice cases are settled out of court. Settlement negotiations may occur at any stage of the legal process. An out-of-court settlement can provide the injured party with compensation without the need for a trial, which can be time-consuming and costly. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company to reach a fair settlement.