When doctors do not follow medical protocol and address patients’ needs and concerns with the utmost care and attention, grievous errors ranging from misdiagnosis to death can occur.

Many people are surprised to learn how frequently medical malpractice occurs because of a physician’s failure to accurately review the results of a patient’s tests, reports and x-rays. In some of the most egregious cases of medical malpractice, a physician did not fail to adequately read or interpret a patient’s lab test, report or x-ray. Instead, he or she simply failed to review the information at all, in its entirety.

Patient Death from Failure to Review Test Results

In one patient’s case, a doctor’s failure to review the results of an electrocardiogram cost the patient his life. The patient, a 45-year-old male, entered a medical center with stroke-like symptoms. While in the ER, one doctor administered an electrocardiogram and sent the results to the patient’s family doctor who was on call at the hospital at the time.

Although the patient’s doctor was notified, she did not check in on the patient until the following day and, according to the patient’s attorney, she did not ever review the results of the electrocardiogram.

One week after the patient’s initial complaint, he suffered a heart attack and died. The patient’s family sued the family doctor for medical malpractice and negligence, claiming that the doctor’s misdiagnosis of his condition caused his death. The jury agreed and awarded the patient’s next of kin over $6 million in compensation for wrongful death.

Medical Malpractice Cases can be Complicated

Medical malpractice cases are complicated in the legal arena. Doctors, nurses, and hospitals are protected by numerous waivers, rules, and regulations, therefore making it difficult to sue. However, when a medical error does occur, a victim or a victim’s family should immediately consult with a skilled medical malpractice legal firm to discuss what litigation option may be available. Additionally, if negligence occurs, and a victim or family believes they can prove that the negligence caused suffering or death, they may have a strong case and may be awarded significant compensation for their losses. Consulting an attorney is essential.

Speak with a Westport, CT Attorney Today

If you have experienced a misdiagnosis that resulted in pain and suffering, or if you have lost a loved one due to doctor or hospital error, please contact a Westport medical malpractice attorney. We offer both advice and representation, will handle your case individualized attention and diligence, and will fight hard to get you and your family the compensation you deserve. Richard H. Raphael, Attorney at Law, is experienced in representing clients throughout Connecticut. 

One of the most common situations involving medical malpractice is the delayed or misdiagnosis of a patient. A well-publicized report published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) revealed that as many as 98,000 people die in hospitals annually as a result of preventable medical errors.

Astounding statistics such as these raise adequate concerns among patients who may wonder if their medical providers are taking appropriate actions in favor of their or their family’s health. Patients are dependent upon their medical providers to proactively address concerns regarding suspected illness or injury.

A December online report from the Daily Mail confirmed the death of an eight-month-old baby as a result of meningitis due to the doctor’s failure to respond to the mother’s concerns. The doctor assigned to the case diagnosed the baby’s condition as only a virus even after she suffered a seizure and high temperature. This type of medical error occurs more often than doctors or hospitals would like to admit. Last year, a Connecticut family faced a battle of misdiagnosis between doctors resulting in lost custody of their daughter as she was left admitted to the hospital.

When misdiagnosis occurs, people’s lives are put in danger. A diagnostic error includes:

• Failure to make use of indicated tests;
• Failure to act upon results of testing or monitoring;
• Error or delay in medical diagnosis; and
• Use of therapy or tests not up-to-date with current medical standards.

Patients may face expenses to seek additional medical testing or receive care after an initial misdiagnosis. They may also report missed wages due to an inability to work. To say a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis is costly is an understatement. Extra incurred expenses add up to at least $17 billion and as high as $29 billion a year in hospitals as reported by IOM.

Patients who are victim to a delayed diagnosis may miss the opportunity to prevent certain medical conditions from worsening or to find a remedy in a more timely manner. As experts in their field, doctors are responsible for providing the best possible care to their patients. When this responsibility is compromised, so are the lives of patients.

If you have been injured and suffered harm as a result of a delayed or failed diagnosis in Connecticut, contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney today.

Once a year, the majority of people visit their primary care physician for an annual medical exam. This exam is commonly referred to as a “check-up,” and the goal is to do just that—check to make sure a person is medically heathy and to provide an early diagnosis of any health issues in which a person may not even be aware.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the top three diseases which kill more people each year are cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes. However, early diagnosis and treatment for these diseases can greatly increase the chances of a person’s long-term survival.

A new study, however, shows that almost 80 percent of people in this country who suffer from undiagnosed diabetes are actually seeing their physicians on a regular basis—often at least two to three times a year. Yet, doctors are not recognizing symptoms and treating patients for the disease. This leaves about eight million people totally unaware they are suffering from diabetes.

The study reviewed over 30,000 medical patients from around the country and discovered that three in every 10 patients were suffering from diabetes, but their doctors had failed to diagnose it. Almost 85 percent of those patients had a primary care physician whom they saw at least once a year, and almost 70 percent of those patients reported seeing their physician at least twice during the preceding 12 months.

Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, blindness in adults, and limb amputation. When a person is suffering from diabetes, his or her body is not using insulin correctly. Insulin is a hormone that is used by the body to process sugar that comes from food. Insulin turns that sugar into fuel, which the body’s cells need for energy. People suffering from diabetes often experience fatigue, slow healing times for scrapes and cuts, and blurred vision.

A doctor’s failure to diagnose diabetes, or any other disease, can cause a patient to suffer serious illness. If you suspect you are a victim of a doctor’s failure to diagnose, please contact an experienced Westport medical malpractice attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have for your pain and suffering.