Choosing a medical malpractice law firm is an important decision. Medical negligence cases can involve complicated medical evidence, expert testimony, significant financial resources, and defendants backed by hospitals, insurance companies, and experienced defense teams.

At Brockstedt Mandalas Federico (BMF), our attorneys have decades of experience handling complex medical malpractice and healthcare litigation, with particular experience in cases involving catastrophic, permanent, and life-altering injuries. Below, we answer some of the most common questions about our firm, the cases we handle, and what clients can expect when working with our team.

What does Brockstedt Mandalas Federico do?

Brockstedt Mandalas Federico is a litigation firm with extensive experience representing people and families harmed by medical negligence. Our attorneys handle complex medical malpractice claims involving physicians, hospitals, nurses, healthcare systems, and other medical providers.

Our broader firm also handles high-stakes litigation including mass torts, class actions, environmental litigation, catastrophic injury cases, and other complex matters.

What types of medical malpractice cases does BMF handle?

BMF focuses on serious medical malpractice cases involving catastrophic injury, permanent disability, lifelong care needs, and wrongful death.

Some of the cases our attorneys handle include:

These cases often involve complicated medical histories, multiple healthcare providers, extensive records, and significant future damages. Our attorneys have the experience and resources necessary to investigate what happened and determine whether medical negligence contributed to the patient’s injury or death.

Does BMF handle birth injury and cerebral palsy cases?

Yes. Our attorneys represent children and families in serious birth injury and obstetrical malpractice cases, including cases involving cerebral palsy, oxygen deprivation (HIE), delayed C-sections, and injuries that result in lifelong medical and care needs.

Birth injury cases can be particularly complex. Determining what happened may require a detailed review of prenatal records, fetal monitoring strips, labor and delivery records, imaging, and the decisions made by physicians and other providers before, during, and immediately after delivery.

When a child’s injuries will require lifelong treatment or assistance, our attorneys also work to understand the full extent of those future needs and the financial impact on the child and family.

Does BMF handle brain injury cases caused by medical negligence?

Yes. BMF represents patients who have suffered permanent brain or neurological injuries because of alleged medical negligence.

These cases may involve stroke misdiagnosis, surgical or anesthesia errors, or delays in treatment that result in permanent impairment. Because brain injury cases can involve complicated questions of causation and long-term prognosis, they often require extensive medical analysis and testimony from qualified experts.

Our attorneys investigate both what went wrong and how the injury is expected to affect the patient over the course of his or her life.

Does BMF handle paralysis and spinal cord injury cases?

Yes. Our attorneys handle medical malpractice cases involving paralysis and other catastrophic spinal cord injuries, including injuries associated with spine surgery errors, epidural injections, and neurosurgical negligence.

These cases can have lifelong consequences, including loss of mobility or independence, ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, assistive equipment, home modifications, and long-term personal care.

BMF has the resources to investigate complex medical and surgical evidence and pursue compensation that accounts for both the immediate and future consequences of a catastrophic injury.

Does BMF handle stroke misdiagnosis cases?

Yes. Stroke is a time-sensitive medical emergency, and delays in diagnosis or treatment can have devastating consequences.

Our attorneys handle cases involving missed or delayed stroke diagnoses, failures to recognize symptoms, failures to order or properly interpret diagnostic testing, and other delays that may result in permanent neurological impairment.

These cases often require a detailed reconstruction of the patient’s symptoms, testing, treatment timeline, and opportunities for earlier intervention.

Does BMF handle wrongful death cases involving medical malpractice?

Yes. BMF represents families whose loved ones have died because of alleged medical negligence, including cases involving particularly serious breakdowns in care.

These claims may involve delayed diagnosis, failure to transfer a deteriorating patient to an appropriate facility or higher level of care, ignored test results, surgical errors, or failures to appropriately monitor and respond to a patient’s condition.

Our attorneys work to determine what happened, identify the individuals or institutions responsible, and pursue accountability on behalf of the surviving family.

Who are BMF’s medical malpractice attorneys?

BMF’s medical malpractice team includes experienced litigators who focus on complex medical negligence, wrongful death, birth injury, brain injury, and catastrophic injury cases.

Partner Tara Clary has more than 30 years of litigation experience handling complex medical malpractice matters from investigation through trial. She began her career defending physicians and healthcare providers before transitioning to representing victims of medical negligence. Tara Clary has been selected to Super Lawyers® for three consecutive years, from 2025 through 2027, a prestigious recognition based on peer review and professional achievement.

Partner Timothy Fisher focuses his practice on medical negligence, wrongful death, birth injury, and catastrophic personal injury. Timothy Fisher has earned Super Lawyers recognition for 15 consecutive years, first as a Rising Stars honoree from 2013 through 2020 and then as a Super Lawyers honoree from 2021 through 2027. Rising Stars recognizes outstanding attorneys who are either 40 years old or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less, while Super Lawyers recognizes accomplished attorneys based on professional achievement and peer recognition. Only a select percentage of attorneys are chosen for either distinction each year.

Associate attorneys Fiona J. Puglese and Jillian Cottingham also represent individuals and families in medical malpractice and healthcare litigation matters. 

Fiona Puglese has been selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars for five consecutive years, from 2023 through 2027. Rising Stars recognizes outstanding attorneys who are either 40 years old or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less and is based on professional achievement and peer recognition. No more than 2.5% of eligible attorneys in each state are selected to Rising Stars each year, making it a notable distinction among attorneys earlier in their careers.

Have BMF attorneys previously represented doctors and healthcare providers?

Yes. This is one of the firm’s important advantages in medical malpractice litigation. Members of our team have experience representing physicians, healthcare providers, and health systems.

That background gives our attorneys firsthand insight into how medical malpractice cases are evaluated and defended. Today, we use that experience on behalf of patients and families, helping us anticipate defense strategies, identify important evidence, and build stronger cases.

What sets Brockstedt Mandalas Federico apart from other medical malpractice firms?

Several things distinguish our approach.

First, we focus on serious, complex cases. Many of the people we represent have suffered catastrophic injuries, permanent disabilities, lifelong care needs, or the loss of a loved one. These cases require careful investigation and an understanding not only of what happened medically, but also of how an injury will affect a person and family for decades to come.

Second, we are trial lawyers. Our attorneys have extensive courtroom experience and are prepared to take a case to trial when necessary rather than building every case around the assumption that it will settle.

Third, we understand both sides of medical malpractice litigation. Attorneys on our team have experience defending healthcare providers and health systems, giving us valuable insight into how defendants and their insurers evaluate and defend these claims.

Finally, we have the resources to take on sophisticated defendants and complicated cases. Medical malpractice litigation may require extensive medical-record review, multiple expert witnesses, depositions, medical research, life-care planning, and significant upfront expenses. BMF has experience handling resource-intensive litigation against hospitals, healthcare systems, insurers, and other institutional defendants.

At the same time, we believe sophisticated legal representation should still be personal. Communication and individual attention are priorities for our team. Our clients should understand what is happening with their case and know that the people representing them understand the human impact of what happened.

What results has BMF achieved?

Brockstedt Mandalas Federico has recovered more than $1 billion for clients across its areas of practice. Our reported results include significant medical malpractice recoveries as well as major results in physician misconduct, nursing home negligence, environmental litigation, and other complex cases.

Medical malpractice results listed by the firm include a $14.9 million settlement, a $9.75 million recovery involving kidney failure in an infant, a $2.05 million recovery involving an unnecessary surgery and resulting injury, and jury verdicts in Maryland medical malpractice cases.

Past results do not guarantee the outcome of any future case. Every medical malpractice claim depends on its individual facts, injuries, applicable law, and evidence.

Is BMF willing to take medical malpractice cases to trial?

Yes. Trial readiness is an important part of our firm’s approach.

Not every medical malpractice case needs to go before a jury, and an appropriate settlement can sometimes provide the best resolution for a client. However, our attorneys prepare cases with the ability to proceed to trial when a fair resolution cannot be reached.

Our lawyers have extensive litigation and trial experience, including experience securing jury verdicts in complex medical malpractice cases.

How does BMF investigate a potential medical malpractice case?

The process depends on the circumstances, but a medical malpractice investigation typically begins by learning what happened and reviewing the relevant medical history and timeline.

Our team may obtain and analyze medical records, imaging, test results, operative reports, fetal monitoring strips, hospital records, medication information, and other evidence. When appropriate, we consult qualified medical experts to evaluate the care provided, determine the applicable standard of care, and assess whether a provider’s actions or omissions caused the patient’s injury.

In catastrophic injury and lifelong care cases, the investigation may also include evaluating the patient’s future medical, rehabilitation, personal care, and other needs.

Medical malpractice cases often turn on details buried within extensive medical records. Our attorneys approach these cases carefully and thoroughly.

Does BMF work with medical experts?

Yes. Expert review is a critical component of many medical malpractice cases.

Medical experts can help determine the appropriate standard of care, identify where the care may have fallen below that standard, and evaluate whether the medical error caused or contributed to the patient’s injuries.

In cases involving permanent disability or lifelong care needs, additional experts may be needed to evaluate future medical treatment, rehabilitation, care requirements, lost earning capacity, and other long-term damages.

Our firm’s longstanding work in medical malpractice and healthcare litigation has allowed us to develop relationships within the medical malpractice community and access qualified professionals whose expertise may be important to a case.

What happens after BMF accepts my medical malpractice case?

Once we take on a case, our team begins developing the evidence needed to pursue the claim. Depending on the case, that can include collecting and reviewing medical records, consulting experts, investigating the providers and facilities involved, evaluating current and future damages, filing the appropriate legal claims, conducting discovery, taking depositions, negotiating with defendants and insurers, and preparing the case for trial.

Medical malpractice litigation can be lengthy and complex. Throughout the process, our goal is to keep clients informed while our legal team handles the medical, evidentiary, and procedural work required to move the case forward.

How do I know whether I have a medical malpractice case?

A bad medical outcome does not automatically mean malpractice occurred. Generally, a viable claim requires evidence that a healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care and that this failure caused an injury or made an existing condition significantly worse.

Determining that often requires more than reviewing the outcome alone. Medical records, treatment timelines, diagnostic testing, expert opinions, and the patient’s underlying condition can all be important.

If you are unsure whether malpractice occurred, you do not need to make that determination yourself. Our attorneys can review the circumstances and help assess whether further investigation is warranted.

How much does it cost to have BMF evaluate my case?

BMF offers free consultations to prospective medical malpractice clients.

Our medical malpractice cases are generally handled on a contingency-fee basis, meaning attorney fees are collected from a recovery rather than charged upfront. The firm can also advance the costs necessary to pursue a case, such as expert witness and filing expenses, with those costs addressed from the recovery if the case is successful.

The specific fee arrangement for your matter will be explained before you retain the firm.

Why are medical malpractice cases so complex?

Medical malpractice cases combine complicated medicine with complicated law.

A successful claim may require attorneys to reconstruct a patient’s medical history, understand the applicable standard of care, analyze decisions made by multiple providers, establish how an error caused an injury, retain qualified experts, calculate future medical and financial losses, and present highly technical evidence in a way that a judge or jury can understand.

This can be especially important in cases involving cerebral palsy, HIE, brain damage, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, and other permanent conditions, where the true cost of an injury may extend decades into the future.

Hospitals, physicians, healthcare systems, and their insurers may also have experienced legal teams defending these claims. Working with attorneys who regularly handle complex medical negligence litigation can therefore be particularly important.

Where does Brockstedt Mandalas Federico handle medical malpractice cases?

BMF represents medical malpractice clients in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania, subject to the circumstances of the individual case and applicable licensing requirements.

The firm has offices in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as Wilmington, Lewes, and Georgetown, Delaware.

Do I need to live near a BMF office to hire the firm?

Not necessarily. What matters is generally where the medical care occurred and whether BMF can represent you in that jurisdiction.

If your treatment occurred in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, or Pennsylvania, contact our team to discuss your circumstances and whether we can assist you.

How quickly should I contact a medical malpractice lawyer?

As soon as reasonably possible.

Medical malpractice claims are subject to statutes of limitation and other procedural deadlines. Waiting can also make an investigation more difficult as time passes, records become harder to obtain, and memories fade.

Because the applicable deadline depends on the jurisdiction and facts of the case, you should not assume you have a certain amount of time based on general information you find online. An attorney can evaluate the deadline that may apply to your particular situation.

What should I bring or have available for my initial consultation?

You do not need to have your entire case assembled before contacting us. However, it can be helpful to provide:

  • The names of the doctors, hospitals, and other providers involved
  • The approximate dates of treatment
  • A brief timeline of what happened
  • A description of the injury or unexpected outcome
  • Information about subsequent treatment
  • Medical records or test results already in your possession
  • Relevant discharge paperwork or patient-portal communications

If we need additional medical records to evaluate or pursue the case, our team can help obtain them.

How do I speak with a BMF medical malpractice attorney?

You can contact Brockstedt Mandalas Federico by calling (410) 421-7777 or by submitting the consultation form on our website. Free consultations are available 24/7.

Tell us what happened, and our team can help you understand whether your situation warrants further investigation and what your next steps may be.