An accurate and timely diagnosis is the foundation of effective healthcare. When a doctor fails to recognize the “red flags” of a serious condition, the window for life-saving treatment can slam shut. Diagnostic errors are among the most common forms of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania, ranging from the misdiagnosis of a stroke in a young adult to the delayed diagnosis of aggressive cancers like melanoma or colon cancer. In this category, we examine how “cognitive biases” and systemic hospital failures lead to these mistakes. Whether it is a radiologist misreading a scan or a primary care physician ignoring a patient’s persistent symptoms, the consequences of a delay are often fatal. These articles provide specific guides on the standard of care for various conditions and what legal steps to take if a late diagnosis has impacted your prognosis.
A study published in June of 2022 from the Journal of the American Medical Association has shown that rates of death from uterine cancer have been increasing by almost 2 percent every year, an increase so rapid that uterine cancer is expected to displace colorectal cancer as the fourth leading cause of women’s cancer deaths by 2040.
Regrettably, too many patients and their families suffer after delays in diagnosis or treatment of myocardial infarctions. Myocardial infarctions are also known simply as “heart attacks”. A heart attack can occur when blood flow through one or more of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart’s muscle is blocked, starving the heart from oxygen-rich blood the heart muscle needs to survive.
Because every case is different – degree of negligence and injuries – there is no single answer for what your case may be worth for settlement or jury verdict. It is helpful, however, to look at the facts of other compartment syndrome lawsuits that have resolved through settlement or jury verdict to get a sense of what your case may be worth. We have successfully represented clients in multiple cases of compartment syndrome, and obtained settlements and verdicts ranging from $1.5 million to $4.5 million.
Many medical malpractice lawsuits result from delays in diagnosing and treating patients suffering acute compartment syndrome. Compartment syndrome is an emergency medical condition that can result in paralysis, limb loss or death, if not treated in time.
Radiology malpractice is more common than many people realize. Over 80 million radiology examinations are performed in the United States every year, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scan), Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan), and x-ray studies also known as plain radiographs. Given the immense volume of imaging studies and high expectations on radiologists to interpret those studies with speed and accuracy, it’s no surprise radiology is the eighth most common medical specialty to be implicated in a medical malpractice claim.
In the hectic environment of the emergency department, rapid diagnosis and emergent management of life-threatening conditions must occur. In the patient with acute chest pain and an EKG concerning for an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction STEMI, the diagnosis and treatment is generally straightforward. National guidelines recommend emergent reperfusion with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolytic therapy. Unfortunately, the potential for patient harm is high when acute aortic dissection causes an acute coronary syndrome and produces ischemic EKG changes.
Many patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) lack overt chest pain or pressure and present to the emergency room with “atypical” signs and symptoms. As a result, the emergency provider may fail to consider the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, leading to a greater risk of serious injury or patient death. This article examines atypical symptoms of ACS in an effort to reduce instances of medical negligence or malpractice.
Osteomyelitis and discitis are infections of the spine. These diseases are rare, but can lead to serious and permanent neurological injuries, including severe pain, paralysis or difficulties walking. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of discitis or osteomyelitis is often delayed by health care providers, because the primary symptom of discitis and osteomyelitis is the very non-specific complaint of back pain.
Our attorneys are dedicated to finding answers in situations where failure to diagnose an illness or injury resulted in catastrophic injury. If you have questions about a matter of this nature we encourage you to contact our office for an evaluation.
Thousands of people every day suffer injury to part of their leg or forearm. Broken bones, burns, and penetrating trauma are daily occurrences and common complaints in America’s emergency departments. Few patients or their families consider a fractured bone or burn will lead to amputation of a leg or part of the arm.
The misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer due to misread pap smears constitutes medical negligence. If you or a loved one is suffering from cervical cancer due to a misdiagnosis or incorrectly read pap smear, you may feel as though you have nowhere to turn – but you do. The lawyers at Lupetin & Unatin focus on cancer misdiagnosis lawsuits. We encourage you to contact our law firm to discuss your case and your options.
Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in the United States, the second most common cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer), and the main cause of death of women between the ages of 45 and 55. Every year, approximately 205,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 die from this disease. In some cases, these deaths occur as a result of a misdiagnosis of breast cancer.
