Obtaining an accurate diagnosis may be integral to determining the proper path of treatment, especially when this path involves a surgical procedure. Operations that are based on an inaccurate diagnosis may expose patients in North Carolina to unnecessary harm and the outcome of these procedures could have a long-term impact on their lives. A woman in another state has filed a medical malpractice claim against a hospital after a misdiagnosis caused her son to suffer permanent harm.
Diagnostic errors and unnecessary surgeries
According to reports, the woman took her child to the emergency room at the facility after he started to experience symptoms of abdominal pain and nausea. The lawsuit states that doctors informed her that he was suffering from acute appendicitis after performing a CT scan and an ultrasound. The child was subsequently scheduled to undergo a procedure to remove his appendix.
The woman says her child’s condition continued to deteriorate and she says that after returning to the hospital several days later, doctors diagnosed him with testicular torsion. This led to an operation to remove one of his testicles. The lawsuit asserts that the initial diagnosis was inaccurate and that the removal of his appendix was unnecessary. The lawsuit also claims that the second operation was also avoidable with timely treatment and that diagnostic errors prompted a delay in care that caused him to suffer permanent harm.
Medical negligence
Diagnostic errors can carry disastrous repercussions that could affect the health and well-being of a patient in various ways. Those who suffer severe or life-changing injuries due to such negligence might consider consulting with legal counsel for assistance in preparing to seek accountability through the civil justice system. An attorney can examine the circumstances a client in North Carolina is facing and help him or her prepare to seek the compensation deserved via a medical malpractice claim against all parties deemed responsible.