Greenbelt Medical Malpractice Attorney

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Were you harmed by a medical error in Greenbelt, MD?

At Cohen & Cohen, P.C., we invite you to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Greenbelt medical malpractice attorney today.

If a doctor, nurse, or hospital failed to meet the accepted standard of care and you were harmed as a result, Maryland law allows you to seek compensation for that harm. A Greenbelt, MD medical malpractice attorney can obtain your records, have them reviewed by qualified physicians, and determine whether the care you received fell below what the law requires.

Medical malpractice is a substantial part of our practice, and Cohen & Cohen, P.C. has recovered over $300 million for clients across all case types. Reach out to discuss what happened during your treatment.

Medical Malpractice Attorney Greenbelt, MD

As medical malpractice lawyers in Greenbelt, MD, we define malpractice the way Maryland courts do. It occurs when a health care provider departs from the standard of care, meaning the level of skill and attention a reasonably competent provider in the same field would have used, and that departure causes injury. A bad outcome by itself is not malpractice. Some treatments fail even when every step is done correctly. The claim depends on proof that a specific error occurred and that the error caused harm the patient would otherwise have avoided.

Maryland hospitals reported 957 patient safety events to the state in fiscal year 2023, and 808 of them met the criteria for a Level 1 adverse event, the category involving death or serious disability. The figures appear in the state’s Maryland adverse event report, which also shows patient falls rising from 148 to 180 over the prior year.

Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle in Greenbelt

Malpractice claims arise in emergency rooms, operating suites, labor and delivery units, and outpatient offices. Our Greenbelt medical malpractice lawyers handle the following categories of claims, and each one begins with a reading of the chart.

• Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. A missed cancer, stroke, or heart attack can allow a treatable condition to progress. Failure to diagnose claims turn on what the symptoms and test results showed at the time and what a careful physician would have done with that information.
• Surgical errors. Wrong-site procedures, nerve and organ damage, and instruments left inside the body fall in this category. We review the operative report, the anesthesia record, and the post-operative notes together.
• Birth injuries. Delayed delivery, misread fetal monitoring, and improper use of forceps can cause brain injury or cerebral palsy. These claims often involve both the obstetrician and the hospital.
• Medication errors. Wrong drugs, wrong doses, and dangerous interactions can occur when prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication. Pharmacy records and nursing logs usually reveal where the mistake entered the process.
• Emergency room errors. Crowded emergency departments sometimes discharge patients too quickly or fail to order necessary imaging. We examine triage notes and timestamps to reconstruct the visit.
• Hospital accidents. Falls from beds, untreated pressure injuries, and infections from unsanitary conditions can be traced to staffing and supervision failures. The hospital may be responsible for the conduct of its nurses and employed physicians.
• Anesthesia errors. Improper dosing and inadequate monitoring during sedation can deprive the brain of oxygen. These cases require close attention to the vital signs recorded minute by minute.
• Nursing home abuse. Residents who depend on staff for medication, wound care, and repositioning can suffer serious harm when that care is neglected.
• Wrongful death. When a medical error is fatal, the family may bring a claim for the loss. We handle these matters with sensitivity to what the family is going through.

Why Choose Cohen & Cohen, P.C. as My Medical Malpractice Attorney in Greenbelt, MD?

Results in Serious Medical Negligence Cases

Our firm has helped clients recover over $300 million. In medical malpractice cases specifically, results have included:

• $20,500,000 for a patient whose tumor was missed
• $8,300,000 after a surgical error led to the loss of a leg
• $6,285,549 in a hospital negligence case involving amputation
• $1,333,671 for a failure to treat a fracture
• $680,000 for a misread mammogram

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case. They do reflect the firm’s experience with the medical evidence these claims require, including testimony from physicians, nurses, and economists.

Attorneys Who Concentrate on Medical Negligence

Jill F. Stanley focuses her practice on medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. She graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, served on its Law Review, and is admitted in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New York. National outlets including CBS News and NBC News have called on her for legal commentary.

Adam R. Leighton has handled extensive medical negligence litigation and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has served on the Tort Law Steering Committee of the D.C. Bar and as a trial judge at George Washington University Law School. When a hospital or physician denies responsibility, that depth of preparation is what you should look for in a personal injury lawyer in Greenbelt, MD. We handle these cases on contingency, so there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

What Is Important to Understand About a Medical Malpractice Case?

What Are Important Aspects of a Medical Malpractice Case?

Every malpractice claim must establish the four elements of a negligence case: a provider-patient relationship, a breach of the standard of care, causation, and damages. Causation is frequently where these cases are contested, and our medical malpractice attorneys in Greenbelt prepare for that dispute from the first review.

1. Physician review. A malpractice claim cannot move forward without a qualified health care provider who is prepared to explain how the care fell short.
2. Complete records. Charts, imaging, lab results, and billing records must be gathered from every provider involved. The types of evidence in these cases go well beyond the discharge summary.
3. Causation. The defense often argues that the underlying illness, not the error, caused the outcome. We address that argument directly through medical testimony.
4. Responsible parties. Physicians, nurses, hospitals, and practice groups may each bear responsibility, and each may carry separate insurance.

Patients sometimes also file a Board complaint with the Maryland Board of Physicians. That process addresses the physician’s license. It does not provide compensation, which only a civil claim can pursue.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Medical Malpractice Cases

Liability in a malpractice case rests on proof that the provider’s negligence caused the injury. Once that is shown, Maryland law permits recovery of several categories of damages:

• Medical expenses: corrective surgery, ongoing treatment, and lifetime care needs
• Lost earnings: wages already lost and reduced capacity to work in the future
• Noneconomic damages: pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life

Maryland caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. For causes of action arising in 2026, the limit is $920,000, and it rises by $15,000 each January 1 under Courts Article § 3-2A-09. Economic damages are not capped, which is why careful documentation of future medical costs often determines the value of a serious claim. Our Greenbelt medical malpractice lawyers build that documentation through the treating physicians and, when needed, life care planners.

What Is the Medical Malpractice Case Timeline?

Malpractice cases take longer than most injury claims, and a medical malpractice attorney in Greenbelt, MD should prepare you for that from the start. The early investigation alone can take several months.

Maryland’s filing deadline for these claims is five years from the date of the injury or three years from the date it was discovered, whichever comes first. Special rules apply to injuries suffered by young children. Because the limitations for malpractice can expire before a patient realizes an error occurred, early review matters.

The claim is first filed with Maryland’s health claims arbitration office, and most cases then proceed to the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County in Upper Marlboro. Discovery, depositions of the providers, and testimony from medical witnesses on both sides follow. Many cases resolve through settlement or mediation; others are decided by a jury.

What Should You Bring to Your Medical Malpractice Consultation?

You do not need a complete set of records before contacting us, since we can request them on your behalf. If available, the following items are useful:

• Names of every physician, hospital, and pharmacy involved in your care
• Discharge papers, test results, and any records you have already received
• Bills and insurance statements related to the treatment and the corrective care
• A written timeline of symptoms, appointments, and conversations with providers

At the consultation, a Greenbelt medical malpractice lawyer from our firm listens to your account of the treatment and explains what a medical review would involve. If we believe the claim has merit, we will describe the next steps and how long the evaluation is likely to take. If it does not, we will tell you that directly.

Reach Out to Cohen & Cohen, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

Medical malpractice claims are demanding, and the deadlines leave limited room for delay. Our Greenbelt medical malpractice attorneys provide a free consultation and accept these cases on contingency, so you owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Submit your information online at any hour, and our office will respond promptly.