People entrust doctors with their care and expect them to properly diagnose and treat any issues that may arise in New Mexico. This is particularly true of pediatricians who are entrusted with the care of children. In a medical malpractice case in another state, a pediatrician’s failure to adequately treat a kidney ailment resulted in a sizeable malpractice lawsuit.
A young girl became a patient of a pediatrician when the girl was 17 months old. She had experienced frequent urinary tract infections. The doctor ordered blood tests that showed evidence of kidney impairment. The child was later treated by a physician’s assistant at the same facility and was found to be suffering from high blood pressure. A year later she was still suffering from high blood pressure, but there was no medical follow-up.
Two weeks following the high blood pressure diagnosis, the girl was flown to a children’s hospital and was found to be suffering from end-stage renal failure. She needed a kidney transplant and was able to receive one from her mother. The family brought a medical malpractice suit against the original doctor and was recently awarded over $4.2 million. The award included money for past and future medical costs as well as pain and suffering.
To see a child suffer from a medical ailment is one of the hardest situations any family can face. If a family in New Mexico believes that a child has suffered because of a misdiagnosis or inadequate care, they may want to seek the advice of a personal injury attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer can review the facts of the case and may be able to determine if a medical malpractice case is an option. A successfully litigated claim can help with current and future medical expenses.