When aneurysms are caught and diagnosed properly, they can be repaired and treated. If a doctor fails to diagnose an aneurysm in you or a loved one, the result may be serious internal bleeding, coma, brain damage, paralysis or even death. Aneurysms are dangerous problems for bodies to experience; they start in a blood vessel and then burst the vessel. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, our skillful Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys may be able to evaluate your situation and represent you in a lawsuit for damages.
What is an Aneurysm?Blood vessels are made up of tissue that is bound together. Aneurysms are dangerous problems. They are either a bulge in a blood vessel or a tear on the inside layer of tissue in a blood vessel. An aneurysm is a very dangerous problem that can result in a blood vessel bursting. The most common places that aneurysms occur are the brain and the aorta. The brain uses a significant amount of oxygen that is carried there by blood vessels. The aorta transports blood from the heart to other vessels.
Failure to Diagnose AneurysmThere are definite symptoms and signs that suggest an aneurysm, and medical professionals are trained to spot and diagnose signs of aneurysm, which vary depending on where it is occurring. Generally, signs of an aortic aneurysm include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, a fast heartbeat, serious chest pains, and back pains. Signs of brain aneurysms include vomiting, nausea, pupil dilation, seizure, serious headache, and light sensitivity.
Failures to diagnose aneurysms can happen for many different reasons. Sometimes a doctor or nurse or staff member fails to identify the signs and symptoms. In other cases, she may not order the appropriate tests and imaging. In other cases, a patient is misdiagnosed in the ER or hospital and sent home. All of these failures can result in severe problems, or even death.
Medical MalpracticeAneurysms are usually treatable if caught in time. A doctor or staff member’s failure to diagnose and timely treat an aneurysm can give rise to a claim for medical malpractice. However, not every mistake constitutes medical malpractice. As a plaintiff, you’ll need to show: (1) the health care provider owed you a professional standard of care to properly diagnose your aneurysm, (2) the health care provider breached this standard of care, (3) the failure to diagnose caused injuries or death, and (4) damages. A seasoned malpractice lawyer can help determine whether the facts in your case can meet these elements.
When patients show signs of aneurysms, the staff or doctors should commence testing to locate and identify possible damage to blood vessels that might be because of an aneurysm. After a diagnosis is confirmed, it’s important for a health care provider to administer treatment right away. The goal is to reduce the chances of subdural hematoma, heart failure, brain hemorrhaging, and internal bleeding. There are appropriate treatment options once a diagnosis has been made in order to stop a blood vessel from rupturing or mitigate damage caused by internal bleeding. Surgery can almost always be avoided, and two main procedures may be performed if a diagnosis is certain. One of these is to clip the blood vessel to close it off and keep it from supplying a damaged area. Another procedure that may be used is endovascular coiling. Wire will be pushed through the catheter and into the area where the aneurysm is. The wire will be coiled inside the impacted place and cause the blood clot to form.
DamagesIf you are able to establish liability, you may be able to recover compensatory damages from the responsible parties for expenses including medical bills, lost income, and more. When a loved one dies because of a failure to diagnose an aneurysm, it may be possible to recover wrongful death damages.
Consult an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney in SyracuseThe lawyers at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano represent patients harmed by failures to diagnose aneurysms and other conditions in and around Syracuse. We also sue negligent health care providers for damages in Rochester, Lyons, Cooperstown, Wampsville, Utica, Canandaigua, Oswego, Lowville, Oneida, Watertown, Delhi, Herkimer, Ithaca, Binghamton, Norwich, Auburn and Elmira. Please call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us via our online form.