When a Houston resident goes to the doctor with a medical complaint, they assume their doctor will be able to figure out what is wrong with them. Most of the time doctors diagnose the correct ailment and are able to provide a treatment plan that works. But occasionally a patient suffers from their doctor’s negligent failure to diagnose.
A man was recently awarded $28 million when a jury found his medical provider was negligent in diagnosing an ulcer. The man went to a hospital emergency room in 2011 with stomach pain. He had medical history of Crohn’s disease but was active and healthy. The man alleges the doctors were negligent in diagnosing him with an intestinal ulcer and just diagnosed him with an exacerbation of Crohn’s. Because of the misdiagnosis, he had nearly a dozen surgeries and spent three years in the hospital. He is now unable to work or care for himself and will need around-the-clock care for the rest of his life.
When a patient suffers an unexpected medical injury, it can be traumatic and scary. No one expects that their doctor won’t get their diagnosis correct and that they will suffer from a worsened condition because of that. If a family believes their doctor did not diagnose them correctly, they may want to speak with a legal provider skilled in medical malpractice. An attorney can review the medical records, consult with medical experts and determine what happened to cause the injury. Patients have legal rights to try to hold the negligent physician accountable for his mistake. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, future medical expenses, loss of wages and other damages.
Many Houston residents are harmed because of negligent physicians each year. It is important to hold these doctors accountable for their actions.
Source: Baltimore Sun, “Baltimore jury awards $28M in damages over alleged misdiagnosed ulcer,” Lorraine Mirabella, Sept. 4, 2015
