Do I have a malpractice case for a missed diagnosis?
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Do I have a malpractice case for a missed diagnosis?
I have been having episodes of chest pain, nausea and vomiting for 10 years.
On about 50 of these occasions, it has been bad enough to visit the ER. I have been given heartburn medications, pain medications and sometimes nothing. I recently became pregnant and had an episode, so I went to the ER. They reacted much different this time; they were concerned about the baby and did an ultrasound. They found multiple gallstones in my gallbladder but told me that they could not perform the surgery needed until after I delivered, in 6 months. In the meantime, they told me to watch my diet and if it get’s severe, they would have to perform emergency surgery. I have filed grievances with 3 different hospitals for failing to do a simple ultrasound. I could have had this surgery when these symptoms started. I have had so much pain and suffering and unnecessary vomiting in the past 10 years, which I’m sure has done damage to my esophagus.
Asked on February 9, 2017 under Malpractice Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
If it was negligent, or unreasonably careless, for the hospital to not do further or more detailed testing in the face of a long-standing series of complaints or problems which were not being resolved by the medication(s) they prescribed--and it very well may have negligent, based on what you write--then this may have been malpractice. If it was malpractice and, as you believe, the failure to identify the gallstones caused your problems, you could potentially recover compensation for 10 years of unnecessary pain and life impairment, for any damage that was done to your esophagus, and for any additional medical costs you did pay or will pay, which were required by the failure to diagnose in a timely fashion. It would seem to be worthwhile for you to consult with a medical malpractice attorney: many provide a free initial consultation to evaluate a case, and you can inquire about that before making any appointments.
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