Baltimore Injury Lawyer Blog

Any discussion of how much money a medical malpractice case in Maryland is worth begins with our cap on non-economic damages in malpractice.

The pain and suffering cap for 2023 in Maryland medical negligence cases is $875,000.  This same $875,000 cap applies to wrongful death cases where there is only one surviving family member.

If there are two or more surviving family members, then the non-economic damage cap rises to $1,093,250.  The cap applies to the year the negligence or death occurred, so it will be less for incidents before 2023.   (Click on the first link above to see the malpractice cap in Maryland for each year.)

This post will go over some basic legal concepts that you need to know about doctor-patient confidentiality.

Confidentiality between patients and physicians is a fundamental tenet of modern healthcare and medical practice. Knowing that your doctor will keep your personal information confidential is absolutely necessary for effective medical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. Patients would not feel free to disclose certain things to their doctors without this safeguard.

Most people are generally aware of the concept of doctor-patient confidentiality law. We sort of just expect our doctors to keep our personal information confidential, and we understand that some ethical rules require them to do that. But few people are very familiar with the legal underpinnings of doctor-patient confidentiality. Confidentiality is more than just an ethical ideal that physicians are supposed to adhere to for their patients. Patients have an affirmative legal right to confidentiality. Most states have statutory laws protecting patient confidentiality.

Meconium is the baby’s first bowel movement. It is probably not what you expect. These first feces consist of debris, cells from the intestinal tract, mucus, and slimy fluids. Meconium is green and has no smell.

What is Meconium Aspiration Syndrome?

Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS) causes respiratory distress as a result of meconium entering the respiratory tract below the vocal cords and presenting in the tracheal bronchial tree. When the baby makes an attempt to breathe in utero, before the baby is delivered, the baby can inhale meconium material into the lungs. The fear is the meconium blocking the airways.  Oxygen is critical to life for all of us.  But, during the birthing process, it is critical to have a smooth flow of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs.