Personal Injury Law

Failure to Diagnose Allergy Leads to Wrongful Death

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

The widow of a 40 year old man is suing a doctor who failed to diagnose her husband?s previous allergic reaction to bee stings, according to New Jersey News. In July of 2005 the man was rushed to the emergency room by a neighbor after collapsing and foaming at the mouth while mowing his grass. The neighbor noticed a swarm of bees near the man. He told emergency room staff about the bees and the likelihood that they caused the man?s allergic reaction. The doctor failed to look into the neighbor?s warning, however, and ruled the injury to be heatstroke. Only a month later in August of 2005, the same man had another severe allergic reaction while mowing his grass. He died before making it to the hospital, with doctors finding over 30 stings on his body.

The lawsuit filed by the victim's widow seeks over $1.5 million dollars for future earnings, pain and suffering, and other losses suffered due to the medical error.

Of course, if the doctor who provided initial treatment in July had properly informed the family of the cause of the reaction, they may have been able to prevent the tragedy of the second allergic attack. This is a classic example of ?missed diagnosis? or "failure to diagnose." Medical professionals have an obligation to the patients and their families to provide accurate information so that proper preventative treatment and risk-reduction steps can be taken.

Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at Levin & Perconti are experts at fighting for the victims of missed diagnosis and their families. They have won numerous multi-million dollar awards for families who suffered at the hands of a missed diagnosis. They have also represented victims of delayed diagnosis, when doctors wait too long before informing patient?s of their situation. Victims of both missed and delayed diagnosis deserve compensation for their losses . Anyone who may have been a victim of these medical errors should consult a medical malpractice attorney immediately to better understand their rights.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on June 21, 2010 (boomark / email).