From time to time we get phone calls in which the person on the other end is convinced medical malpractice occurred to them because either the doctor or hospital did not bill them, or severely reduced their bill. So, if the doctor did not bill you is this proof of medical malpractice in Maryland?
Because this issue can be rather fact specific, if you are reading this article and have this question, but do not have a Maryland issue, be sure to contact a lawyer in your jurisdiction for guidance. The information in this article, and supporting video, is general in nature; however, it will get you thinking about some of the critical issues present when proving medical malpractice in Maryland.
HOW DO WE PROVE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE IN MARYLAND?
To better understand if the doctor did not bill you, is this medical malpractice in Maryland, you must know the basics of proving medical malpractice. Maryland law requires that you show that the treating doctor departed from the standard of care owed to you, and by doing so caused your damages, or harm. The easiest way to understand standard of care is what would a reasonable and prudent doctor do under the same set of circumstances as yours?
The above is proven using medical experts. These experts will review the records and all the pertinent information in the case and come to an opinion(s). Without the assistance of medical experts, a Maryland medical malpractice case will not be successful.
IF THE DOCTOR DID NOT BILL YOU IS THIS PROOF OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE?
With the above understanding, can you now see how in general, a doctor or hospital not billing you in not going to be proof of medical malpractice? The billing is essentially irrelevant when it comes to the issues of proving whether the actions, or inactions, of the doctor or medical professional fell below the standard of care causing injury or harm. This is often a confusion issue for some people because they see the dismissal of the bill as “proof” the doctor did something wrong.
A doctor or hospital can dismiss or reduced a bill for a lot of reasons. For example, what if the doctor no loner wants you as a client and he or see if just ready to see you move on. Trying to guess why a doctor dismissed a bill can lead to all sorts of problems if it is considered as “evidence” in a trial. Remember, a jury is going to apply the facts of the case to the elements already mentioned in this article regarding the determination of medical malpractice.
DO YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
If you would like to speak with me further regarding a possible medical malpractice case in Maryland, this is what I invite you to do. Pick up the phone and give me a call. I can be reached at 301-850-4832. I answer Maryland birth injury and medical malpractice questions just like yours all the time and I will be happy to listen to your story.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
Boston Law Group, LLC
2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 700
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
1-833-4 BABY HELP
