Misdiagnosis is more common than many people think, especially among pediatric patients. In a study that examined over 1,200 pediatric medical malpractice claims, the most common patient assessment issue was “failure to appreciate and reconcile relevant signs, symptoms and test results.”
The providers in the study failed to see the bigger clinical picture by looking at all available information (such as patient history, reported symptoms, a physical exam, and test results) to properly diagnose the patient.
The third most-common cardiovascular health threat is venous thromboembolism (VTE), or a blood clot in the leg that travels to the lungs. When diagnosed, it can be treated with surgical thrombectomy. But sometimes doctors don’t diagnose it in time to treat it with thrombectomy.
According to WorldThrombosisDay.org, “blood clots in the leg and lungs are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide, many of which could be avoided with proper diagnosis and treatment.”
Most VTE fatalities happen from a failure to diagnose, rather than a failure to treat it. When diagnosed in a sufficient amount of time, surgical thrombectomy is an adequate treatment to prevent long-term injury and death.
When a person is admitted into the hospital, they put their lives in the hands of medical professionals. Each of us trusts that the doctors, nurses, medical assistants, radiology technicians, and any other medical staff have our best interests at heart. But these professionals make mistakes.
Patients turn to physicians for proper diagnosis and treatment. They put their trust in medical staff to take the right steps, run the right tests, and make the right diagnosis. When a doctor fails to diagnose a condition it can lead to permanent damage and sometimes death.
The state of Washington declared a state of emergency on January 25, 2019. The reason? Roughly 55 confirmed cases of measles just this year, most among children under age 10.
It’s not just Washington that’s been affected by this disease outbreak. 11 other states have seen incidences, as well. Currently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is tracking three disease outbreaks (measles specifically) across the country: in New York City, in New York state, and Washington state.
Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are common in the United States. One in 31 patients contracts a HAI every day. Not only can these infections delay a patient’s recovery, they can also increase the length (and expense) of the hospital stay, and even cause death.
Worst of all: hospital acquired infections are largely preventable.
Nursing home abuse stories are all over the national news. A Quincy nursing home is fined after mental abuse by a staffer. A troubled Raleigh nursing home faces new state and federal investigations.
And of course, the well-known and horrifying story of the long-term care facility patient who was raped, became pregnant, and gave birth.
How common is nursing home abuse in the United States? And what exactly do we mean when we say ‘nursing home abuse’? What are the different types of nursing home abuse?
When you think of maternal mortality, what do you envision? A woman who hemorrhages during labor and dies shortly after? Or an undiagnosed infection that leads to sepsis and death weeks after giving birth?
A handwriting analyst plays a unique role in a court case. Their expertise lies in identifying similarities and differences from the document in question. They can analyze a handwritten note, for example, and look at aspects such as how it’s written, and the details in the writing.
Expert consultants are knowledgeable in their areas of specialization, and bring major advantages to your case strategy and are able to testify in the courtroom.
Before you even know if you should pursue a case, where do you go when you have questions you can’t answer? What if you have a straight forward, single issue you need help with before you can move forward?