Failure to Diagnose Blood Clots Malpractice Attorneys in New York City

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Failure to Diagnose Blood Clots

We hear about these sad medical situations all the time, and the effects are heartbreaking, particularly when it happens to someone we know, or happens suddenly without any warning or previous diagnosis. A loved one experiences a stroke, a seizure, an aneurysm, or has complications resulting from severe thrombosis—any of which can be caused by an undetected or sudden blood clot. But, what makes these ailments particularly devastating is when we find out the blood clot was there all along, but a physician failed to provide a proper diagnosis before a sudden outcome proved it was too late.

Our health often lies in the hands of a medical professional, and we trust that person to care for us. We have confidence that the physician reads charts and acts accordingly based on findings from tests or subsequent visits. We trust the physician to investigate enough to be able to detect what is abnormal—even if we do not suspect an immediate concern ourselves. After all, our physician is the one who knows our family’s medical and personal history, and is the one who can administer extra care and precautions to ensure the appropriate tests are completed, findings are documented, and a proper and timely diagnosis is made when presented with a situation. But that does not always happen.

Causes, Identification and Early Detection of Blood Clots

Essentially, a blood clot is the body’s natural process of defense to prevent bleeding, and can be a positive step toward stopping the bleeding from becoming worse. The danger occurs for the victim, however, when a blood clot works its way up the body’s circulatory system and causes a block that depletes the organs from blood circulation and oxygen–two vital components needed in order for us to survive. An undetected blood clot surfaces when the worst occurs and it is too late, such as in the case of an aneurysm or stroke.

Blood clots can take several forms, such as a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung), or an embolic stroke (a blood clot that has lodged in the brain). An undiagnosed clot can lead to permanent injury—or even death. If you have any of the following health issues, you may want to discuss your condition (as it relates to potential blood clotting) with your doctor, and insist that you have additional tests or screening to validate your concerns:

While not all of the above are related to blood clots, it makes sense to pay attention to your body and to any abnormalities that you may experience. Physical symptoms are not the only identifier of possible blood clots. Certain medications can also cause clots and should be discussed with a pharmaceutical professional or your primary care physician before adding a medication to your daily routine. Of particular concern are medicines that contain the female hormone estrogen found to be linked to an increase in blood clots, and in medications that many women take such as birth control or hormone therapy.

What is a Failure to Diagnose Blood Clot Case?

Medical malpractice comes in all forms, not the least of which is failure to diagnose. A failure to diagnose medical malpractice case is when a doctor overlooks causes of a disease or other developing medical condition that leads to bigger and broader complications over time. A patient is rushed to the emergency room for no apparent reason, only to find out a long-term side effect of a popular drug caused a blood clot. A physician prescribes a drug to take care of the swelling in the joints—swelling that eventually stops the flow of blood to vital organs. A sudden headache is dismissed with no further investigation. These incidents are not isolated, and often lead to devastating life-altering futures for the patients such as amputation, an aneurysm or a heart attack. Doctors who are quick to provide injections to alleviate the pain before checking the patient for blood issues are finding themselves at the center of many lawsuits.

Failure to diagnose on the part of the doctor can include the following failures and should be taken seriously. If you believe you someone you know has fallen victim of a failure to diagnose a blood clot condition, you may need to pay attention to incidents that support the doctor’s failure to:

• effectively communicate
• obtain proper informed consent, when needed
• promptly assess any complications
• determine actual symptoms before prescribing a medication
• review the history of the patient, both recent and over time

We trust our doctors, especially those who have cared for us for many years. Yet, the fact that they have provided care for many years may indicate a level of complacency that is unacceptable. For instance, a diagnosis for a clean bill of health may become routine, when really the physician should be paying extra attention to our changing bodies as our age progresses, and our physical condition changes.

Legal Help for Failure to Diagnose Blood Clot Victims

There are strict limitations for medical malpractice and misdiagnosis cases, and time is of the essence in collecting materials and supporting research to build your case. Legal experts can assist to verify whether or not you fall within a timeframe by which you can obtain legal help and compensation. Investigating a case of failure to diagnose starts when you enlist the attorneys at a renowned law firm such as Finz & Finz, P.C., one with a proven history for settlements in the areas of medical malpractice and failure to diagnose.

If you or someone you know has suffered or died because of a physician’s failure to diagnose a blood clot condition, your timeliness in obtaining a law firm to assist is critical, and likely investigation will begin soon after. Investigation may include obtaining medical records and witness reports, enlisting field experts and contacting expert witnesses. A failure to diagnose case should never be handled on your own.

Without any obligation, we invite you to fill out and submit our Free Failure to Diagnose Blood Clot Case Evaluation form, or contact us toll free at (855) TOP-FIRM to further discuss your individual situation. In addition to failure to diagnose, Finz & Finz, P.C., focuses on medical malpractice cases, including:

The team at Finz & Finz, P.C., consists of attorneys renowned for achieving desirable results in lawsuits related to failure to diagnose blood clot cases. The lawyers and paralegals at the firm are standing by to answer your questions. Call toll free at (855) TOP-FIRM.