Patients who are sick or injured count on their doctors and medical teams to provide timely and correct care. When medical providers delay or fail to provide proper treatment, the results can be life-changing for a patient. Minor symptoms become major problems quickly when medical staff don’t provide timely, accurate treatment.
Typical delayed or missed treatment symptoms
- Pain that gets worse instead of better
- Fever, chills, or signs of infection that go untreated
- Trouble breathing or low oxygen levels
- Confusion, weakness, fainting, or sudden mental changes
- Abnormal vital signs that are not addressed
What causes delayed or missed treatments?
There are several ways a patient may receive delayed treatment, and all are preventable. A hospital or medical facility may be understaffed, leading to communication errors and missed analysis of the patient’s condition. Test results may be delayed, missing a critical window for treatment. Staff may not recognize how serious a symptom is or may ignore abnormal test results.
Regardless of the reasons why treatment is missed or delayed, medical providers have a duty to make sure a patient is cared for properly and in an appropriate timeframe.
Serious injuries that can be caused by missed or delayed treatment
It only takes a few minutes for a patient’s condition to decline when treatments aren’t issued in a timely manner. Heart problems, shock, sepsis, and even death can be caused by treatments not being given fast enough. Untreated conditions may cause permanent, life-changing disabilities that impact the patient and their family for years.
Infections and organ failures may also happen, but won’t present symptoms immediately, making it hard for patients to know there’s a reason for concern.
Best next steps for Delayed or Missed Medical Treatment
If you’ve been the victim of a medical provider failing to treat you quickly or failing to provide the correct treatment entirely, contact us today. The medical malpractice attorneys at Weisser Law are ready to learn your story, hear your frustrations, and fight for you.
A doctor’s mistake isn’t your fault, and you don’t have to battle the insurance companies alone. Weisser Law offers a free consultation to review the details of your case and provide a realistic estimate of the compensation you deserve.
Contact Weisser Law today at (561) 880-0100 to schedule your appointment with one of our expert medical malpractice lawyers.