Baltimore areas depend heavily on their job in order to earn an income and pay their bills. When individuals suffer a job loss or are unable to work for a period of time, it can pose serious consequences to not only the life of the person with the job, but his or her family as well. Accordingly, when a person suffers an injury that affects his or her career, the person may need relief from the person who caused the personal injury.
A unique case of alleged medical malpractice recently illustrated this principle. A woman, who maintained a career as an opera singer, was injured by an alleged case of negligence during the birth of her son. During the birth, a nurse performed an episiotomy on the woman to enlarge the birth opening. However, according to the woman, she was not informed or asked for consent for the procedure, and the incision caused her serious consequences.
The woman alleged the incision was not repaired properly, causing the woman to suffer incontinence and excessive gas. As a result of her condition, the woman was not able to continue her career as an opera singer, and she is now seeking damages from the medical provider as a result.
While the woman's injuries are unique, the case illustrates how an injured patient can seek damages if his or her injuries affects a career. First, if a person lost wages because of the injury that the person would have otherwise earned, those lost wages can be recovered as an element of damages.
The person can also recover separate damages if the person's ability to earn money in the future is lost or lessened because of the injury. These damages focus not on what was lost in the past, but what would have been earned in the future if the patient had not been injured by the doctor's negligence. Through these various damages, the injured patient can recover the compensation they would have otherwise gained at their employment.
