According to the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, the average urgent care center sees 60-80 patients per day, with each provider treating 4-8 patients per hour. For many individuals, urgent care centers are the first place they seek treatment after an accident. However, if you suffered a fracture that was missed or not properly evaluated at an urgent care facility, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim against the urgent care center and the providers who treated you.
Common Fracture Injuries Treated at Urgent Care Centers
Urgent care centers frequently treat wrist, hand, arm, leg, shoulder, hip, ankle, and foot fractures. However, if a fracture in any of these areas was missed, it could be due to negligence in diagnosis or improper follow-up. Understanding how and why these fractures are overlooked is essential in determining whether you have a valid medical malpractice case.
How Can Urgent Care Centers Be Negligent in Diagnosing Fractures?
One of the most common ways an urgent care center can be negligent is by misreading X-rays. If the providers at the facility took X-rays of your injury but failed to identify a clear fracture, this could be evidence of malpractice. A strong indicator of negligence is if a later doctor reviews those same X-rays and immediately identifies the fracture that was originally missed.
When Should Urgent Care Centers Order Additional Imaging?
In some cases, an initial X-ray may not clearly show a fracture. However, if you return to the urgent care center with ongoing pain and worsening symptoms, the providers should consider a fracture and order additional imaging. Failure to do so, despite persistent symptoms, may be considered negligence.
Factors That Affect a Missed Fracture Medical Malpractice Case
Several factors can determine whether you have a case against an urgent care center, including:
- Failure to recommend follow-up care: If the urgent care providers advised you to follow up with your primary doctor but you did not, this could impact your claim. However, if it can be shown that the fracture would have been diagnosed and treated sooner had you followed up, you may still have a case.
- Type of fracture and length of delay: A nondisplaced fracture (where the bones remain aligned) may be treated with immobilization, while a displaced fracture requires surgery. If the delay in treatment caused a nondisplaced fracture to become displaced, leading to unnecessary surgery, you may have a malpractice claim.
What Are the Risks of Delayed Fracture Treatment?
A delay in treating your fracture can lead to serious complications such as:
- Malunion or Nonunion of Bones: If a fracture is not properly diagnosed, the bones may heal incorrectly (malunion) or fail to heal at all (nonunion). These conditions can lead to deformities and require corrective surgery, including breaking and realigning the bones.
- Avascular Necrosis (Bone Tissue Death): A prolonged lack of blood supply to the fractured bone can cause avascular necrosis, where the bone tissue dies and collapses. This condition can permanently affect joint function and limit your ability to work and perform daily tasks.
Can a Delayed Fracture Diagnosis Impact My Legal Claim?
Not all delayed fracture diagnoses will result in a successful malpractice claim. In some cases, the delay may not have changed the treatment or outcome. For example, rib fractures often heal naturally over time, meaning a delay in diagnosis may not significantly impact your recovery.
However, if the delay in treatment led to worsened complications, additional surgeries, or long-term limitations, you may have a strong medical malpractice case.
What Compensation Can You Seek for a Missed Fracture Claim?
If you have a valid malpractice case, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Pain and suffering caused by delayed diagnosis and treatment
- Unnecessary surgery or medical expenses that could have been avoided
- Lost wages due to missed work from prolonged recovery or additional medical procedures
- Long-term disability or limitations resulting from improper healing
Speak to a Medical Malpractice Attorney Today
The medical malpractice attorneys at Thistle Law have extensive experience handling missed fracture claims against urgent care centers. If you or a loved one suffered complications due to a missed diagnosis, call 215-568-6800 today for a free consultation.