When a New Yorker is ill and seeks treatment from a medical professional, there is an inherent expectation that they will be given the top level of care. In such a situation, any mistake can lead to severe complications and death. Misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, medical malpractice and other doctor errors happen all too frequently and can cause innumerable injuries and fatalities. This is particularly worrisome when children are involved.
A woman whose 7-year-old daughter died after an alleged misdiagnosis intends to take legal action against the hospital. According to the mother, the child died less than one full day after the doctor did not give her the proper treatment for strep throat. The strep throat turned into pneumonia and the child died. She says that the medical staff was negligent. Two days before she died, the child told her mother she was not feeling well with stomach and throat problems. She had a fever of 101 and the mother took the child to the doctor.
She says she told the medical staff that the child had strep throat twice in 2016 and 2017 and wanted a test for it. According to her, the doctor stated that the child did not have strep throat, saying that she showed flu symptoms. She requested that another doctor conduct the test. It was done, the child was given medication for the flu and sent home. The child was vomiting the next day and was again taken to the hospital. The mother was again told the child had the flu. The test for strep throat came back positive. The child subsequently had problems breathing and as the staff prepared for her to be sent to another hospital that specialized in cardiac issues and pneumonia. She died before the transfer.
Allegations that medical malpractice was the cause of a person’s death can be complicated to prove. It is essential that the victims get all the medical records and provide a detailed account of what happened, so the evidence can be accrued and preserved. The loss of a child is a painful occurrence in multiple ways. While a legal filing cannot bring the child back, it can provide a semblance of justice. Those who have been injured or lost a loved one because of misdiagnosis or some other medical error may want to learn more about their legal options.
Source: nydailynews.com, “Mom blames 7-year-old daughter’s death on misdiagnosis by heartless Woodhull doctor: suit,” Christina Carrega, Feb. 24, 2018
