Failure to Diagnose Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a serious medical condition requiring emergency medical care. If you or a loved one has been harmed due to the misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose a pulmonary embolism, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers can thoroughly examine the facts of your case and help you navigate through the legal process.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Americans die each year from a pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism, or PE, is a sudden blood clot in a lung artery. The blockage is usually caused by a blood clot that travels to the lung from a vein in the leg. A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus. When a clot forms in the large veins of the legs or arms, it is referred to as a deep venous thrombosis, or DVT.

A medical professional’s failure to properly recognize and diagnose a pulmonary embolism can lead to catastrophic harm to a patient. Although the signs of this condition can be difficult to recognize, a doctor may still be expected to take the appropriate steps in preventing and treating pulmonary embolism. In particular, physicians and medical professionals should be vigilant in by taking preventive measures with patients who have undergone a surgery lasting more than two hours, patients who have experienced prolonged immobility, patient who are dehydrated, patients with heart disease, woman who are pregnant, and patients who smoke or are overweight. Preventative measures include taking anticoagulants or blood thinners to prevent a blood clot, exercising your lower leg muscles to improve circulation, and wearing TED stockings or sequential compression devices.

Malpractice takes place when a medical professional fails to act as a reasonable medical professional would in the same specialty under the same or similar circumstances. As a result, reasonable will vary depending on the specific facts and circumstances. In addition to showing that the medical professional failed to use proper care, a plaintiff must establish that this failure was a direct cause of the injury, which in the context of a pulmonary embolism case could be the worsening of the condition due to the defendant’s failure to diagnose in a timely manner.

If you believe a doctor or hospital has failed to take appropriate steps to prevent a pulmonary embolism or failed to diagnose a pulmonary embolism, it is imperative to speak to a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer who can assess the merits of your case. We help you evaluate your rights and options under Maryland law. At Arfaa Law Group, our injury lawyers represent victims throughout the state of Maryland. To set up a free consultation to discuss your case with us, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.