As Medical Errors in Baltimore Increase, Know The Causes And Common Challenges In Seeking Compensation
Medical errors pose serious risks in Baltimore and across Maryland. Unfortunately, and despite safety precautions, the number of incidents is on the rise. Whether it involves dangerous delays in treatment, incorrect medication, surgical errors, or other problems, they can cause severe, potentially life-threatening harm to patients.
Our experienced Maryland medical malpractice lawyers protect clients in these cases and fight to get them the compensation they need to cover their losses. Considering the increased risks, be aware of how medical mistakes in Baltimore often happen and the common challenges in filing a claim.
Common Causes of Medical Errors In Maryland
A landmark study by Johns Hopkins University in 2016 revealed that medical malpractice is a leading cause of death in the United States. Medical mistakes and errors are among the most frequent ways malpractice happens. In the years since the study, health care administrators have attempted to address the problem by putting stricter protocols in place.
However, the Maryland Department of Health released a safety report on September 12, 2025, which shows the risk of medical mistakes and errors throughout the state has continued to increase, jumping by more than 20 percent over the past several years. They impact roughly 1,000 people annually and claim the lives of over ten percent of victims. Among the most common causes are:
- Inadequate staffing or workforce shortages raise the risk of oversight and delays.
- Delays in diagnostic testing, lab work, imaging, or treatment, especially in emergency or critical care settings.
- Medication errors, including wrong dosages, incorrect administration, or failure to coordinate prescription systems.
- Surgical mistakes, including wrong-site surgery or leaving instruments in the body.
- Improper maintenance or monitoring of medical equipment and tubes/devices.
Common Challenges In Holding Providers Accountable For Medical Mistakes In Baltimore
Under Maryland malpractice laws, victims and their families can hold at-fault providers accountable for medical mistakes and errors. However, common challenges they often encounter when filing a medical malpractice claim in Maryland include:
- Proving that healthcare providers were negligent and deviated from the accepted standard of care.
- Showing that their error was the direct cause of injury or death, not underlying conditions or complications.
- Maryland’s contributory negligence doctrine may reduce or bar recovery if the patient is found even slightly at fault (such as not seeking follow-up care or ignoring doctor instructions).
- Insurance companies often dispute or deny claims and pressure victims to accept less than they are entitled to in a claim.
When Medical Mistakes In Baltimore Happen, Contact Our Experienced Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Medical mistakes and errors in Baltimore happen on a regular basis and can cause potentially life-threatening harm. If this happens to you or a loved one, reach out to Maryland Injury Lawyers.
Our Maryland medical malpractice lawyers provide the caring support and fierce legal representation needed to protect your rights throughout the claims process. To get the compensation you need to recover, don’t delay. Contact our office and request a consultation with Maryland Injury Lawyers today.
Sources:
hub.jhu.edu/2016/05/03/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death/
health.maryland.gov/ohcq/docs/Reports/Patient%20Safety/MDH_Office_of_Health_Care_Quality_MHPSP_Report%20_FY_2023.pdf
mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj§ion=5-109
