A Victoria, Texas woman was shocked when her physician diagnosed her with Stage IV terminal breast cancer. After the diagnosis, the mother of four gave away her belongings, arranged for a hospice worker to care for her at home and made a bucket list.
The woman underwent seven months of chemotherapy and was placed on anxiety medications to help cope with the stress of the diagnosis. However, her doctor had misread her lab results, meaning that she was cancer-free the entire time and did not need to undergo the painful treatment after all.
The woman filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the physician, and a Victoria County jury granted her $367,500 in damages. The doctor died in March of this year and the damages were taken from his estate.
Even though the lawsuit ended in her favor, the woman said that no amount of money “is ever going to cover what I went through. Before (the diagnosis), I was always dressing up, wearing jewelry. When something like that (mistake) happens, your self-esteem is not there. Now I’m working on getting it back.”
Misdiagnosis and Medical Malpractice
A misdiagnosis like this shows how one doctor’s mistake can dramatically change someone’s life. A large number of lawsuits stem from the misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a medical condition, illness or injury. When a doctor’s diagnosis error leads to incorrect treatment, delayed treatment or no treatment at all, a patient’s condition can be made worse, or could even lead to death.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison believes that physicians and all other healthcare professionals have a duty to provide proper care to patients who have entrusted them with their lives.
If you sustained serious injuries or had a loved one who died because of medical malpractice, you may be entitled to far more compensation than the insurance company for your hospital or doctor is offering. Contact our Austin personal injury attorney today at (512) 474-8346 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Personal Injury Attorney
