Patient’s Family Awarded $350,000 Due To Fatal Doctor Errors

On behalf of Hastings Law Firm P.C. posted in Doctor Errors on Tuesday, June 3, 2014.

When in pain, many Texas residents seek medical attention. In doing so, they expect that the doctor will either determine what the problem is or refer them to another doctor who should be able to do so. Additionally, if the patient continues to complain of pain and other related symptoms, the patient usually expects that the doctor will take the time to examine him or her rather than relying on a resident to do so. A family in another state has recently been awarded $350,000 for doctor errors in the death of a loved one.

According to information provided by witnesses, the patient saw one doctor in June 2006. She was complaining of diarrhea and nausea. The surgeon removed her gallbladder. However, that did not alleviate the problem. The doctor continued to search for the cause of the problem.

Several months later, the woman sought medical treatment from another doctor. Over the course of three appointments, she was attended to by a resident. The doctor never saw the patient, and she ended up visiting the emergency room in Dec. 2006. After review by a gastroenterologist, surgery revealed that she suffered from a clogged artery. The patient died a few days later.

Although this woman suffered from a rare condition, the jury verdict underscored the general expectation that the attending doctor must properly examine the patient and then refer to appropriate specialists as needed. In this particular case, the lack of action resulted in medical malpractice. Texas residents who believe that they, or a loved one, have suffered as a result of doctor errors may want to seek assistance in determining what legal course action may be appropriate.

Source: thedailyreporter.com, “Doctors found responsible for death of patient”, Don Reid, May 30, 2014