Appendicitis is a severe inflammation of the inner lining of the appendix, usually caused by an acute infection. It is one of the most common causes for emergency surgery in the United States, since the only effective treatment is the removal of the appendix through a procedure known as an appendectomy. Even though this problem occurs relatively frequently, it is fairly common for doctors to miss key symptoms, diagnose it as something less dangerous, and cause serious harm to patients through an unnecessary delay in treatment.
If you suffered serious physical trauma because your doctors failed to identify and address your appendicitis in a timely manner, you should strongly consider speaking with a Bridgeport appendicitis misdiagnosis lawyer about possible legal action. You may be able to demand civil restitution for the harm you have endured due to a physician’s misconduct. Support from a skilled misdiagnosis attorney, like the ones at Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, can be essential in pursuing fair and prompt compensation.
Unlike other acute medical conditions, there is no single diagnostic test that can confirm with 100 percent accuracy that someone is experiencing appendicitis. Instead, physicians must pay close attention to symptoms reported by patients, perform necessary examinations and tests to rule out more innocuous sources of those symptoms, and then promptly recommend surgery if they have enough information to conclude that appendicitis is most likely what the patient is experiencing.
Failing to exercise due diligence in investigating appendicitis symptoms and making an accurate diagnosis can increase the risk of serious complications, such as perforation of the appendix, sepsis, and other potentially life-threatening conditions. As a Bridgeport attorney can further explain, successfully filing a malpractice lawsuit over an appendicitis misdiagnosis requires proving that the misdiagnosis occurred because the defendant doctor acted in a way that no other equally qualified doctor would have under the same circumstances. In other words, they violated the applicable “standard of care.”
A physician who fails to meet the standard of care and allows a patient to suffer preventable harm from untreated appendicitis can be held legally liable for the negative consequences that result from their negligence. This may include both economic and non-economic forms of harm such as:
Typically, appendicitis misdiagnoses in Bridgeport are not considered negligent or malicious enough to justify punitive damages, which are supposed to punish reckless behavior. Courts typically limit recovery to compensatory damages, which cover the losses listed above. However, there may be exceptions under unique circumstances, and a lawyer can provide more detailed information during an initial consultation.
If appendicitis is caught and addressed quickly after you first develop symptoms, it is a relatively mundane condition that can be effectively treated with few or no long-term effects. However, if your doctors negligently failed to diagnose your appendicitis properly, you may have grounds to sue over the physical, mental, and financial pain you experienced.
A Bridgeport appendicitis misdiagnosis lawyer from Berkowitz and Hanna LLC can guide you through every step of the legal process and ensure you have the best possible chances of securing the compensation you deserve. Call today to learn more.
Berkowitz Hanna
1087 Broad St
Bridgeport CT
06604
