Houston residents who go to the doctor with a medical condition assume that their trusted medical professional can help them get better or at least make a diagnosis. Medical professionals are supposed to diagnose illnesses or refer patients to specialists for further treatment or analysis. Unfortunately, negligence does occur among medical professionals and situations such as a failure to diagnose serious illnesses can happen.
A jury in Massachusetts recently awarded the family of a woman whose disease was not detected over $16 million dollars. In 2006 the woman went to the emergency room complaining of a frequent cough. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia. The radiologist who read the x-ray declared it to be normal. The woman was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. Thirteen months later the woman returned to the hospital with a worsened medical condition. A CT scan revealed that the woman had a fatal illness and she died seven months later. Her family believes the radiologist missed the evidence of the disease on the initial x-ray and because of the doctor mistake her medical condition worsened and she eventually died.When a medical mistake results in a loss of a loved one, families may feel confused and angry about the situation. A medical professional should be held accountable for their negligence and a medical malpractice attorney can help these families determine their next steps. Medical professionals who do not take the time to properly review medical symptoms and therefore cause an unexpected worsened condition should be held accountable. Justice for these families is important and can change the way these medical professionals do their work.
Families who have been affected by a negligent medical professional may find it rewarding to stand up to these professionals and hold them accountable. It is important to prevent future harm to other people and to recover the compensation that is due for their tremendous loss.
Source: Chron.com, “Jury awards $16.7M in Boston malpractice suit,” June 30, 2014
