Medical Malpractice
MedStar Harbor Hospital is a small community teaching hospital located on the South Baltimore waterfront on Hanover Street, playing an active role in Maryland’s healthcare system. Like many hospitals its size, Harbor has also been involved in a number of medical malpractice cases over the years, including some that resulted in significant jury verdicts in Baltimore City. These outcomes highlight the significance of understanding how courts and juries have previously viewed claims against the hospital.
On this page, we review what you need to know if you are considering a malpractice lawsuit involving Harbor Hospital: where these cases are filed, what past verdicts have looked like, which defense firms typically represent the hospital, and how settlement values are generally assessed. Having this background can help set expectations and inform strategy if you or a client is preparing to bring a case.
If you suffered an injury at MedStar Harbor Hospital or any other hospital in Maryland, our medical malpractice lawyers are here to help. Contact our medical malpractice lawyers at 800-553-8082 or send us a free internet request for consultation.
MedStar Harbor Hospital
Harbor Hospital, part of the MedStar Health system, is situated in Baltimore City, overlooking the scenic Patapsco River. It operates with approximately 119 licensed beds and maintains a well-established internal medicine residency program. Residents provide care under the supervision of attending physicians, particularly in internal medicine.
The hospital provides a wide range of services, including primary care, women’s health, orthopedics, cancer treatment, and emergency care, serving a diverse patient population from across South Baltimore. It has particular strengths in internal medicine, orthopedics—the hospital is the official medical team for the Baltimore Ravens—as well as cancer care and women’s services, including labor and delivery. Like every hospital in downtown Baltimore, Harbor runs a busy emergency department.
Where To File Harbor Hospital Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
Because MedStar Harbor Hospital is located within Baltimore City, nearly all malpractice cases against it are filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court. For plaintiffs, this venue is significant. Baltimore City is widely viewed as one of the most favorable jurisdictions in Maryland for malpractice claims, not because juries are biased, but because they are generally receptive to patient testimony and are not as skeptical of malpractice claims as jurors in some suburban counties.
Even when a plaintiff has the option of filing in a neighboring jurisdiction such as Anne Arundel County or Howard County, experienced malpractice lawyers often choose to proceed in Baltimore City if venue rules allow. The reasoning is clear. Baltimore City juries have historically returned strong verdicts in serious injury cases, particularly in birth injury and emergency medicine claims where the damages are permanent and the hospital is a corporate defendant rather than an individual physician.
Filing in Baltimore City also shapes the course of litigation. Discovery schedules, judicial assignments, and the likelihood of a case moving forward to trial all influence settlement discussions. Defendants understand that if a case reaches a Baltimore City jury, the risk of a substantial award is very real. That risk often motivates hospitals and their insurers to resolve meritorious cases rather than face a trial.
For anyone considering a malpractice case against Harbor Hospital, venue is not a minor detail. It is a central strategic decision that can affect the value and outcome of the case.
Because the hospital is located in Baltimore City, the majority of Harbor Hospital medical malpractice cases are filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Baltimore City has a good reputation for fair jury verdicts, and plaintiffs’ lawyers often choose Baltimore City, even when other venues are available.
Big Harbor Hospital Verdicts
Harbor Hospital was subject to a $21 million Baltimore City jury verdict in a birth injury mistake case. Plaintiff in that lawsuit alleged that failures on the part of the delivery team were the cause of a child’s severe cerebral palsy.
In another cerebral palsy case, an Anne Arundel County family was awarded nearly $35 million by a Baltimore jury, which found that MedStar Harbor Hospital had neglected to properly treat a newborn’s dropping oxygen levels, causing severe brain injuries and permanent disability. The hospital failed to handle the deteriorating condition of a newborn. Specifically, the jury found that hospital staff mishandled initial signs of the child’s condition and did not properly contact the on-call pediatrician. Now an adult, he has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and requires round-the-clock care. This case is still on appeal.
Harbor Hospital’s Defense Team
As part of the MedStar system, Harbor Hospital is typically defended in medical malpractice lawsuits by attorneys Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann (Donald DeVries), Wharton, Levin, Ehrmantraut & Klein, or Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan & Rhoades (Benjamin Vaughan). These firms have excellent reputations for medical malpractice. When you have a serious malpractice case against one of these firms, you need to bring your “A” game.
Ordering Records from Harbor Hospital
Every medical malpractice case begins with a review of the medical records. Any medical malpractice lawyer will tell you that they have seen many potential claims that appeared to be obvious malpractice, only to find reasonable explanations for the care in the medical records. Conversely, sometimes what seems to be a questionable case becomes much stronger by seeing what the doctors did – or did not do – for the patient.
To collect medical records from Suburban Hospital, send correspondence to:
Harbor Hospital
Attention: Medical Records Department
3001 S. Hanover Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21225
What is the Average Settlement Value of a Harbor Hospital Malpractice Case?
The typical settlement value of a medical malpractice case against Harbor Hospital is around $505,000 to $705,000. We are pulling that number a bit from thin air, but we think that is about right. This is slightly above the national average for settlements in hospital malpractice cases, which is $425,000. The average value of a jury verdict in a Harbor malpractice case is also higher than the national average for verdicts in hospital malpractice cases, which is just over $1 million.
What Are My Chances of Winning a Malpractice Case Against Harbor Hospital?
Three out of every four plaintiffs who file a medical malpractice case against Harbor Hospital ultimately receive some compensation, either through a settlement or a jury verdict. The chances of winning or getting a settlement in a hospital malpractice case are higher than in cases against doctors or other healthcare professionals. Hospitals, like Harbor, are much more motivated to settle valid medical malpractice cases compared to individual doctors. Unlike doctors, Harbor does not get benefit from jury sympathy, and they prefer to avoid the bad press associated with big malpractice verdicts.
Does Harbor Get Sued for Malpractice Frequently?
Yes. Harbor is one of the largest hospitals in Baltimore, with annual revenues of around $500 million. Harbor (which is now part of the MedStar network) gets named as a defendant in a handful of Maryland medical malpractice lawsuits every year. The most common types of medical malpractice claims against Harbor Hospital include surgical error, misdiagnosis, and birth injury.
What Impacts the Value of a Harbor Hospital Malpractice Case?
The big issue in every medical malpractice lawsuit is whether the doctor made a mistake. Everything starts here. If you have a really strong chance of winning at trial, that is the threshold question before we talk about anything else. If the medical records from MedStar Harbor Hospital clearly show lapses in care that will resonate with a jury, the case is far stronger than one where the records leave room for multiple interpretations.
If you have liability, then the focus turns to damages. The primary factor that drives the potential settlement value of a malpractice case against MedStar Harbor Hospital is the seriousness of the injury involved. When negligence at MedStar Harbor Hospital results in permanent, life-altering harm such as cerebral palsy, severe brain damage, paralysis, or the amputation of multiple limbs, the value of the case is significantly higher. These outcomes require lifelong medical care, create major losses in earning capacity, and dramatically alter quality of life, all of which push settlement and verdict values upward. Damages beyond pain and suffering also give you damages to push your claim for damages over the Maryland malpractice damages cap. This makes a big difference in the settlement offer the hospital makes.
Another important consideration is the strength of the liability evidence.
Ultimately, the settlement value of a malpractice case against MedStar Harbor Hospital depends on the severity of the injuries, the strength of the liability evidence, and the quality of the expert and trial presentation. Cases involving catastrophic harm and strong evidence of negligence at MedStar Harbor Hospital Baltimore City will receive larger settlement amounts.
Getting a Malpractice Lawyer for Your Claim
If you were injured at Harbor Hospital or any other hospital in Maryland, contact our medical malpractice lawyers at 800-553-8082 or send us a free internet request for consultation. We have collaborated with medical experts in every specialty, and we can assist you in determining whether you may be eligible for a lawsuit.
Hospital-Specific Malpractice
- An Overview of Hospital Malpractice Claims
- An Overview of Medical Malpractice Claims in Maryland
- Sample Hospital Malpractice Complaint
- Hospital Infections: malpractice issues relating to hospital infections
- Sample Expert Designations: an example of a hospital’s expert designations
Emergency Room Malpractice
- Overview of Emergency Room Malpractice Claims
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- Meningitis
- Infections
- Appendicitis
- Intussusception
- Volvulus
- Heart Disease
- Stroke Care and Prevention Malpractice