Broken bones can be highly complex injuries requiring timely diagnosis and treatment. If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a medical professional’s failure to properly diagnose a neck fracture, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. While no amount of money can undo the damage, the compensation can help cover the cost of treating your condition and help you pay the bills as you get better. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our seasoned Rochester medical malpractice attorneys have handled cases involving neck fractures and understand how to navigate these complex claims.
A missed diagnosis or a wrong diagnosis of a neck fracture can lead to mobility and pain issues for a patient. In addition, failure to diagnose, the neck fracture can lead to further injury, which may require even more expensive and time-consuming treatment. Because the stakes are so high, whenever a neck fracture is a possibility, doctors have a responsibility to investigate the matter diligently using whatever tools are at their disposal, such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. In addition, the doctor should perform a physical examination as well as a neurological assessment of reflexes and motor function. Unfortunately, far too many doctors do not handle these cases with the care that they deserve and the patient ends up suffering. Sometimes doctors fail to order appropriate tests or stabilize the spine when it is needed. In other cases, doctors misread or misinterpret the test results, leading to a diagnostic error.
If you believe that your doctor’s error, carelessness or wrongdoing caused or contributed to your neck fracture injury, you may be able to recover compensation through a medical malpractice claim. Not all undesirable outcomes are the result of medical malpractice. Rather, medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional causes an injury by failing to adhere to the standard of care. Doctors are legally obligated to use the same degree of care that another doctor in the same field would have used when treating a patient with the same condition. When a doctor fails to uphold that accepted standard of care in their field, they have breached their duty of care and can be liable for any resulting harm.
Medical malpractice cases are complex and require solid expert witnesses. The expert witness is typically the same specialty as the defendant. For instance, if the defendant is an orthopedic doctor or surgeon, the expert witness will most likely be an orthopedic doctor or surgeon. The idea is that someone who is familiar with such cases and understands the appropriate level of care in these cases can best establish the standard of care.
If you have suffered harm due to a medical professional’s failure to diagnose a neck fracture properly, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim on your hands. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our Rochester medical malpractice attorneys understand the nuances of this area of law and can effectively advocate for your rights. Call us today at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
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