You went in for pain relief or for pain control during labor. You came out with something new to manage instead. Numbness that hasn’t faded. A fever that won’t break. Weakness in your legs that wasn’t there before the needle went in. Now you’re left wondering whether this was a rare complication or something a provider should have prevented.
A Maryland epidural injury lawyer at Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC investigates that exact question. Determining whether an epidural injury resulted from malpractice often takes more than reviewing the procedure itself. The timing of new symptoms, the medications used, and the follow-up care all matter. How quickly staff responded matters too. Contact our firm today.
What to Know About Maryland Epidural Injury Claims
An epidural complication isn’t automatically malpractice, but certain facts can point to a stronger claim. Here’s what a Maryland epidural injury lawyer looks at first.
Key Takeaways
- The FDA has warned that epidural corticosteroid injections carry a risk of rare but serious harm, including paralysis and stroke, and has never approved corticosteroids for this specific use.
- New or worsening weakness, numbness, fever, or loss of bladder control after an epidural are warning signs worth having reviewed, especially if a provider dismissed them for days before ordering imaging.
- Some epidural injuries have been traced to contaminated compounded medication rather than the injection technique itself, which can shift liability to a pharmacy or facility.
- Maryland requires a certificate from a qualified medical expert before an epidural malpractice claim can proceed, and claims are generally subject to a five-year-from-injury or three-year-from-discovery deadline.
Why Do Epidural Injections Sometimes Cause Serious Harm?
An epidural involves guiding a needle into a narrow space near the spinal cord. The goal is usually to deliver a corticosteroid or an anesthetic to control pain. Precision matters enormously here. A misplaced needle can injure a nearby nerve or blood vessel instead of reaching its intended target.
The FDA has warned that injecting corticosteroids into the epidural space may lead to rare but serious harm. That harm can include vision loss, stroke, paralysis, and death. Notably, the agency has never approved corticosteroids for this specific use. A spinal epidural hematoma can also form after the procedure. Patients on blood thinners or with an underlying clotting disorder face the highest risk. Left undiagnosed, that bleeding can compress the spinal cord within hours.
What Signs Indicate That an Epidural Injury May Involve Malpractice?
Not every bad outcome points to negligence. Some complications occur even when a provider follows every accepted precaution. Still, certain warning signs are worth having reviewed by an epidural malpractice lawyer, including:
- New or worsening weakness, numbness, or paralysis after the injection;
- Severe, escalating back pain accompanied by fever;
- Loss of bladder or bowel control following the procedure;
- A provider who dismissed reported symptoms for days before ordering imaging; and
- Confirmation that the medication itself, rather than your body’s response, caused the reaction.
A known risk that was properly disclosed and promptly treated rarely supports a claim. The stronger question is whether your provider recognized the warning signs quickly enough to prevent lasting harm.
Related Reading: Overview of Birth Injuries to the Mother
If You Called and Were Told to Wait, We Should Talk
Reporting new numbness, weakness, or pain after an epidural only to be told it’s probably nothing is a common thread in these cases. If your symptoms were dismissed before anyone took a closer look, that delay may matter more than you realize. We’ll review what was reported, when, and how your care team responded.
Schedule A Free ConsultationWhat Are Common Causes of Epidural Injection Malpractice?
Most epidural malpractice claims trace back to one of a few recurring failures. A Maryland epidural injury lawyer sees the same patterns repeat case after case. Recognizing which one applies to your situation is often the first step toward understanding it.
Improper Needle Placement or Technique
An epidural performed without adequate imaging guidance carries a higher risk of striking an artery or nerve root. That risk climbs further when a provider chooses a particulate steroid. A non-particulate option is often the safer pick in that same spot.
Failure to Recognize a Post-Procedure Hematoma or Abscess
A spinal epidural abscess is a rare, life-threatening complication. It typically presents with fever, worsening back pain, and progressive weakness. Prompt surgical drainage and weeks of antibiotics can prevent permanent damage. A delay in recognizing these symptoms can allow the infection or bleeding to compress the spinal cord. Past a certain point, that damage becomes permanent.
Contaminated or Mishandled Medication
Injectable steroids are only as safe as the pharmacy that compounds them. A 2012 outbreak traced to the New England Compounding Center sickened 753 patients nationwide. It killed 64 people after contaminated steroid injections caused fungal meningitis and spinal infections. Twenty-five Maryland facilities received the recalled products, according to the Maryland Department of Health. A facility that fails to verify a compounding pharmacy’s safety record can share responsibility when contaminated medication reaches a patient.
Ignoring Symptoms Reported After Discharge
Many claims never involve the injection itself. Instead, a patient calls the office repeatedly, reporting worsening weakness, spreading numbness, or new trouble with bladder control. No one orders an MRI, and days pass before anyone takes the complaint seriously. That gap is often exactly what a Maryland epidural injury lawyer investigates first.
Inadequate Informed Consent
A provider must disclose the material risks of an epidural before a patient agrees to it. A patient who wasn’t told about the risk of paralysis, infection, or nerve damage may have a separate claim. That’s worth raising with an epidural malpractice lawyer, even where the procedure itself was performed competently.
Compensation Is Available in a Maryland Epidural Injury Claim?
Every case is different. Compensation generally reflects both the financial cost of the injury and its impact on daily life. That can mean treatment for infection, corrective surgery, or ongoing rehabilitation, plus lost wages and compensation for lasting physical impairment. Maryland limits the noneconomic portion of a malpractice award, the part covering pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Economic losses, such as medical bills and lost wages, face no such ceiling.
What Is Maryland’s Legal Process for an Epidural Injury Claim?
Before an epidural malpractice lawsuit reaches a Maryland courtroom, state law requires several procedural steps specific to medical claims. A qualified medical expert must certify that the injection records support a departure from the accepted standard of care. That standard can involve the technique used, the steroid selected, or how symptoms were handled afterward. Once that certification is filed, the claimant may waive arbitration and proceed in circuit court instead.
Timing carries real consequences here. Under Maryland’s statute of limitations, most claimants get five years from the date of the injection. Three years from the discovery of the injury applies too, whichever arrives first. Missing that window typically ends the claim, regardless of how clear the medical evidence is.
Living With the Aftermath Deserves a Straight Answer
Whether it’s lingering numbness, ongoing pain, or a weakness that hasn’t gone away, you shouldn’t have to guess whether your epidural was handled properly. Our team will look at the technique used, the medication given, and how quickly anyone responded to your symptoms, and give you an honest read on what happened.
Schedule A Free ConsultationWhat Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC Brings to an Epidural Injury Claim
Epidural injury cases often require answers pulled from several different sources at once. Anesthesiology records show what was planned and administered. Fluoroscopy images show where the needle actually went. Medication logs identify the exact steroid used. Compounding records can reveal whether that steroid came from a facility with safety problems of its own.
Post-procedure evaluations round out the picture, showing how and how quickly your symptoms were addressed. Together, those records can show whether your injury was an unavoidable complication or a preventable mistake.
As your Baltimore epidural injury lawyer, we can review your case and help you understand what legal options may be available. Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC serves clients throughout Maryland and has handled claims involving hospitals, pain clinics, and compounding pharmacies alike. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Epidural Injection Claims
What Turns a Bad Outcome into an Epidural Malpractice Case?
Start by having your medical records reviewed by an epidural injury attorney who can bring in a qualified expert. What matters most is whether your provider’s technique, monitoring, or response time fell short. A careful provider facing the same situation would have acted differently.
Can I Sue If the Medication Itself Was Contaminated?
Yes. Liability can extend to a compounding pharmacy or a facility that failed to verify the medication’s safety. That’s separate from any error by the physician who performed the injection.
What If I Signed a Consent Form Before My Procedure?
Signing a consent form doesn’t excuse negligent care. Nor does it necessarily mean you were told about every material risk tied to your procedure. An epidural injury attorney can help sort out which risks you should have heard about.
What Deadline Applies to an Epidural Injury Lawsuit in Maryland?
Most patients get three years from the date the injury is discovered, or five years from the date it occurred, whichever comes first. Certain circumstances can shift that timeline. It’s worth confirming your specific deadline with an attorney.
Does Maryland Limit What I Can Recover for an Epidural Injection Injury?
Maryland places a limit on the noneconomic portion of a malpractice award, the part covering pain and suffering. Economic damages, including medical expenses and lost income, carry no such limit.
Legal References Used to Inform This Page
To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:
- National Library of Medicine: Particulate and Non-Particulate Steroids in Spinal Epidurals
- American Society of Anesthesiologists: Epidural Corticosteroid Injection: Drug Safety Communication
- Cleveland Clinic: Epidural Hematoma
- CDC: Multistate Outbreak of Fungal Meningitis and Other Infections
- Maryland Department of Health: Center for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Response
- Maryland Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice
- Maryland Cap on Noneconomic Damages