Failure to Diagnose Bowel Obstruction

A properly working digestive system is essential to good health, as it allows the body to process food and eliminate waste. As such, signs that the system is not functioning as it should must be promptly evaluated. Frequently, though, doctors will miss signs that patients are suffering from medical emergencies, such as obstructed bowels, which often leads to catastrophic injuries. If you sustained damages due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose a bowel obstruction, you may be able to recover compensation, and you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys of Arfaa Law Group are committed to assisting people injured by incompetent healthcare providers to pursue damages for their losses, and if you hire us, we will fight to help you seek a just outcome.

A bowel obstruction is a blockage that prevents food and liquid from traveling through the small and large intestines. Bowel obstructions can be caused by various factors, including trauma, adhesions or other surgical complications, hernias, diet, and illnesses. Signs of bowel obstructions include an inability to pass bowel movements, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Obstructed bowels are typically diagnosed via radiographic imaging. If a bowel obstruction is not identified and treated, though, it can quickly lead to tissue death and bowel perforation.

Like bowel obstructions, bowel perforations are critical conditions that must be addressed immediately. People with perforated bowels often present with symptoms of pain and tenderness. When a bowel is perforated, its contents may leak into the abdomen, causing peritonitis and sepsis, and in many instances, bowel perforations are fatal.

A person harmed by a doctor’s failure to diagnose a bowel obstruction may be able to recover compensation via a medical malpractice lawsuit. A plaintiff in a Maryland medical malpractice lawsuit will generally set forth a negligence claim against the defendant. To prove medical negligence, the plaintiff must establish four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. The duty owed by the defendant is to offer care that meets the appropriate standard, which is defined as treatment that a reasonable professional working in the same practice area would provide in a similar situation.

A plaintiff can show a breach occurred by proving that behavior undertaken by the defendant constitutes a divergence from the relevant standard of care. In other words, if the standard requires a doctor to order x-ray studies for a patient complaining of bowel issues and the defendant failed to do so, it may constitute a breach. To meet the causation and damages elements, the plaintiff has to demonstrate that the defendant’s breach proximately led the plaintiff to suffer actual harm. In other words, that the defendant’s behavior directly contributed to the plaintiff’s injuries, and the plaintiff would not have been hurt absent the defendant’s acts or omissions.

A plaintiff who demonstrates liability in a medical malpractice action may be granted economic damages, which includes the cost of medical treatment, lost wages, and out-of-pocket costs, and non-economic damages, like compensation for mental anguish, trauma, and suffering endured due to the defendant’s negligence. It is important to note that anyone who wishes to pursue claims due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose a bowel obstruction or perforation must act promptly, as there are statutes of limitations that define when such claims must be filed.

Bowel issues typically require immediate treatment, and when doctors neglect to assess gastrointestinal complaints accurately, it can cause devastating illnesses and injuries. If you suffered harm due to a doctor's failure to diagnose a bowel obstruction, it is in your best interest to speak to a lawyer about your potential claims. The Baltimore attorneys of Arfaa Law Group can advise you of your rights and aid you in pursuing the full amount of compensation recoverable under the law. We have an office in Baltimore, where we frequently assist injured people in medical malpractice claims. You can contact us at 410-889-1850 or via our online form to set up a conference.