When a Missouri individual is feeling ill, it can be a very worrisome time. It gets worse when a person visits the doctor and undergoes several tests only to be sent home with no answers. This is what happened to a man in another state whose family has stated that a physician’s failure to diagnose led to his death. Now, the physician and hospital are both facing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
A man scheduled an appointment with his physician to visit him on March 20, 2012. It was difficult for him to breath and he was suffering from fatigue and extreme thirst. The physician conducted numerous tests and then sent the man home.
The next day, the man had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. At the hospital, they determined that the man was suffering from kidney disease and an acute injury to the kidney. He was then admitted for further medical examination and treatment.
Over the next day, his condition deteriorated. His original physician called in numerous orders. However, he did not come to the hospital to examine the man in person. The patient then passed away a short time later.
When a physician fails to diagnose a person properly and timely, it can affect the patient’s life completely. As in this particular case, a failure to diagnose could lead to a person’s death. For residents in Missouri who believe that they have been treated unfairly in any way by a medical professional or institution, it may be possible to hold the responsible parties accountable and receive financial compensation via a civil claim in court.
Source: The West Virginia Record, “Bluefield hospital, doctor face wrongful death suit”, Matt Russell, June 24, 2014