One of the basic elements of treating a patient at a hospital who has a suspected fracture is to order X-Rays and other imaging to rule out a fracture. Unfortunately, even if the radiologist interpreting the X-Ray notes it shows a fracture, patients are sometimes discharged from the hospital and told they do not have a fracture. If this happened to you, you may have a case for medical malpractice against that hospital.
Discharged From Hospital Without Treatment
How do you get discharged from a hospital with a diagnosis of no fractures even if X-Rays were read as showing you had a fracture? A lot of times it can be due to miscommunication amongst the doctors treating you at the hospital. It may happen because you have multiple injuries, and your attending doctor may focus on and get distracted by one injury to the detriment of the fracture you suffered. Or it may happen because of record keeping and collection issues.
Whatever the reason, discharging a patient from the hospital and not letting that patient know he or she has a fracture is very likely going to be considered malpractice, or a breach in the standard of care. However this is not the only factor that determines whether you have a missed fracture case. Another factor is whether your outcome was changed at all due to your fracture not being treated at the hospital. Sometimes fractures do not need much treatment, and just need to heal. An example of this can be a minor rib fracture. Sometimes the delay in treatment of your fracture is not long enough to change your outcome much if at all.
How Medical Negligence Leaves You With The Bill
The fracture may also be one which would have needed surgery right away – meaning you will be unable to claim that you could have avoided surgery if the fracture was diagnosed sooner. However, you may still have a case if you can prove you need a more involved and complicated surgery that could have been avoided. Likewise, you may still have a case if there are other future complications you could have avoided if the surgery you needed for your fracture was timely done.
Your case may also have other economic damages – such as lost wages and outstanding medical bills – beyond just pain and suffering damages. To determine if you have a case when you are mistakenly discharged from a hospital with a fracture, an experienced medical malpractice attorney will gather and review your records and consult with medical experts.
Getting The Missed Fracture Compensation You Deserve
The Thistle Law Firm is experienced in handling these cases. If you believe you were wrongfully discharged from a hospital with a fracture and suffered injuries as a result, the PA medical malpractice attorneys at the Thistle Law Firm is here to take your call at 215-568-6800.