Last week, a judge awarded $4.2 million dollars to a woman in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The woman, who is now in her twenties, required a kidney transplant almost a decade ago after her doctors failed to diagnose her kidney failure as a child.
The plaintiff began seeing her doctor as an infant and continued visits for urinary tract infections as a child. Her doctor performed blood tests that resulted in indications of kidney failure, but failed to diagnose her condition. The doctor’s defense was that the blood work was normal for an adult, but the patient’s attorney claimed is was highly indicative of kidney failure in children.
In the two years prior to her kidney transplant, the plaintiff had two abnormal blood tests at the local medical clinic; however, there was no further action taken. A few weeks later, a different hospital in another state diagnosed her with end-stage renal failure and she underwent a kidney transplant.
The court found the doctor was 85 percent negligent in the case. The court also found the facility, where she failed to get an accurate diagnosis, was responsible for 15 percent of the negligence.
In this case, the plaintiff received damages for past medical expenses, as well as pain and suffering from the emotional distress caused by the ordeal.
Kidney failure is a serious condition that prevents your body from filtering waste from your blood, and it needs to be treated immediately. Common symptoms of kidney failure include:
- Reduction in urine output
- Swelling in lower extremities
- Nausea
- Extreme fatigue
- Changes in breathing
- Chest pains
- Mental difficulties
If the condition worsens, you can likely experience seizures and sometimes go into a coma. Consult with your doctors if you believe you are experiencing symptoms of kidney failure.
Additionally, if you believe you have been a victim of medical malpractice, including a misdiagnosis, it can be wise to examine your legal options. In many cases, compensation for damages stemming from medical negligence could be available.