Health care professionals know that some infections can kill if they are not diagnosed and treated right away. When a doctor fails to diagnose a dangerous infection and when that infection causes catastrophic injury or wrongful death, the doctor and other responsible parties should be held accountable.
The medical malpractice attorneys at Snyder & Wenner, P.C. in Phoenix have seen the damage a negligent physician can do when an infection is ignored. In one case, an orthopedic surgeon ignored an infection that occurred after ankle fusion surgery. Failure to diagnose and treat the infection led to other mistakes and leg amputation. In another case, the physician diagnosed the infection but prescribed the wrong antibiotic, resulting in the patient’s death.
Infection misdiagnosis can cause serious injuries and wrongful death.
Too often, doctors make assumptions about symptoms and don’t test those assumptions. Spinal meningitis, a deadly infection that must be treated within hours, may be dismissed as flu. Bedsore infections may be ignored in a nursing home resident—and the result can be amputation and even wrongful death.
The victim of infection misdiagnosis or negligent treatment of an infection has the right to seek justice and compensation for:
- Bodily injuries
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Pain, suffering, disability, and disfigurement
If you suspect infection misdiagnosis or failure to treat an infection, contact a lawyer experienced with medical malpractice lawsuits. Over the course of our firm’s history, we have represented numerous patients suffering from infection misdiagnosis. At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., our lawyers represent clients throughout Arizona and nationwide.