Medical Malpractice
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, formerly known as Howard County General Hospital, is located in Columbia, Maryland. It remains the only hospital in Howard County and has been a core part of the community since it opened its doors in 1973 as a small 59-bed short-stay facility. Over the past five decades, it has grown alongside its community. Today, the hospital operates as a mid-sized regional medical center with 225 staffed beds and is fully integrated into the Johns Hopkins Medicine system.
The hospital provides services in obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, cancer treatment, general surgery, orthopedics, and emergency medicine. Each year, the hospital handles around 30,000 inpatient admissions and sees close to 100,000 emergency room visits. Between 3,500 and 4,000 babies are delivered at the hospital annually. With more than 1,800 employees, it continues to rank as the fifth-largest employer in Howard County.
In recent years, the hospital has made major investments to meet growing health care demands in the region. In late 2024, the hospital opened a new 24-bed behavioral health unit, along with a nine-bed emergency behavioral health zone, significantly expanding its ability to serve patients in mental health crisis. Plans are also underway for a $28 million observation unit to further improve emergency department flow and reduce wait times. These developments reflect not only a commitment to modernizing care, but also increasing support from Howard County and the State of Maryland. Local leaders have committed more than $24 million in recent operating budgets to support hospital upgrades, maternal health programs, and mobile community outreach teams.
This growth in both size and service capabilities reinforces the hospital’s regional role, but it also means that when mistakes occur, the consequences can be severe. And when they do, the hospital must be held accountable.
Dealing With Howard County General Hospital on Malpractice Cases
Howard County General is a good hospital that does a lot of great things for patients. No one is denying this. But like every other hospital, huge mistakes and medical negligence occur on a regular basis at Howard County General and the hospital should be accountable for those mistakes when they lead to unnecessary human suffering or death. To accomplish this, you need a medical malpractice attorney on your side to fight for you for a settlement or a jury verdict.
The Maryland hospital malpractice lawyers at Miller & Zois have extensive experience bringing malpractice cases against Howard County General Hospital and other hospitals in the state. We have an excellent track record of success in these cases.
Where To File Malpractice Lawsuits Against Howard County General Hospital
Howard County General Hospital is located in Howard County. Under Maryland’s venue rules for medical malpractice cases, this means that almost all malpractice cases against this hospital must be filed in the Circuit Court for Howard County. Howard County is generally not a very favorable jurisdiction for plaintiffs in malpractice cases. Jurors in Howard County are much more skeptical of plaintiffs and prefer to give doctors and hospitals the benefit of the doubt in close cases. This is not to say plaintiffs cannot win in Howard County. Malpractice plaintiffs can and do win big in Howard County all the time.
If you are a plaintiff in a malpractice case, you would much prefer to be in Baltimore City. Howard County General is part of the Johns Hopkins Medicine system. This means that in certain cases there may be enough of a relationship or connection to other Hopkins institutions to support filing a Howard General malpractice case in Baltimore City.
Howard County General Hospital’s Defense Team
As part of the Johns Hopkins system, Howard County General Hospital is typically defended by Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann (Donald DeVries). This is one of Maryland’s premier medical malpractice defense firms.
Ordering Medical Records from Howard County General Hospital
The biggest question our malpractice clients have is whether a mistake was made. Often, it is very hard to know with certainty without collecting all of the medical records for the victim. This is the first step in determining whether you may have a viable medical malpractice case that could lead to a verdict or settlement. You or your lawyer can order medical records. Howard County General Hospital medical records can be obtained from:
Howard County General Hospital Medical Records Department
5755 Cedar Lane Columbia, Maryland 21044
410.740.7890
410.740.7543 (fax)
FAQs: Howard General Hospital Malpractice
What is the Average Settlement Value of a Howard General Hospital Malpractice Case?
The typical settlement value of a medical malpractice case against Howard County General Hospital is around $400,000 to $600,000. Although this is above the national average, it is below the average value of Maryland malpractice cases. This is because Howard County is a difficult venue for plaintiffs in malpractice cases, and this gets factored into the settlement valuations.
What are My Chances of Winning a Malpractice Case Against Howard General Hospital?
Most cases against Howard General get settled confidentially, so it is very difficult to say with any certainty what the rate of success against them is. We can say, however, that 3 out of 4 plaintiffs who file a medical malpractice lawsuit end up getting compensation in the form of a verdict or settlement.
Does Howard County General Hospital Get Sued for Malpractice Very Often?
Yes. All busy hospitals get sued for medical malpractice regularly, and Howard County General is no exception. Howard County General is somewhat small compared to other hospitals in Maryland, so they don’t get sued quite as often.
Contact Us
If you were injured at Howard County General or any other hospital in Maryland, contact our medical malpractice lawyers at 1.800.553.8082, or send us a free internet request for consultation. We can help you determine whether you qualify for a lawsuit because we work with top-notch medical experts in every field.