Our story begins with a loss that should never have happened. In 2016, my mother Rosetta, found a lump in her breast. Her medical provider told her it was not serious. In 2017, she reported it again and it was dismissed a second time. No diagnostic imaging. No ultrasound. No urgency. Just reassurance.

By the time she insisted on a 3D mammogram in 2018, the cancer was already advanced. She fought as long as she could, but she passed away in 2024.

In Maryland, the limits placed on wrongful death claims and the constrained statute of limitations on medical negligence cases often shield healthcare providers from responsibility and deny victims and their families the justice they deserve.

According to a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety, medical negligence is the third leading cause of death in the United States, attributing to roughly 440,000 deaths annually. Yet Maryland remains one of the states where the legal system inadequately addresses this critical issue, favoring financial protection of medical establishments over patient lives.

The current laws enforce a heartbreakingly short time frame to file claims, frequently before the extent of the injustice is even realized. By extending the statute of limitations and removing arbitrary caps on damages, Maryland can begin to protect its citizens, promote accountability, and ensure no other families have to endure preventable suffering and death.

 We need to:

• Eliminate the 5-year statute of repose that blocks families from discovering and proving negligence
• Remove unfair caps on wrongful death damages
• Allow full recognition of the suffering experienced by people harmed by delayed diagnosis
• Ensure that families are not denied justice simply because they trusted their doctors

We cannot bring my mother back, but together, we can fight for reform that honors her memory and safeguards others.

Please sign this petition to urge Maryland’s legislators to end the state's outdated limitations on wrongful death and delayed medical diagnosis claims. By signing, you stand with all those who've lost loved ones unnecessarily, and you advocate for a just system that prioritizes lives over negligence. Let us turn our shared tragedy into a catalyst for change.