Tony Bailey went to the emergency room with chest pain and shortness of breath. After a doctor examined him, he was told he had a virus and was sent home. The next morning, he was dead. Last month, a jury awarded over $1 million in medical malpractice damages to his estate.
The attorney who represented the plaintiff, Chris Stewart, executor of the estate, offered that the doctor in question is probably a good doctor, but he missed the boat when examining Mr. Bailey in the ER. The doctor’s defense attorney tried to argue that the pulmonary embolism that resulted in Bailey’s death did not exist until the morning of his death and had not been present the day before when Bailey visited the ER.
The total awarded in the medical malpractice suit comes to $1,065,000 and will be paid by the doctor’s insurance carrier to Bailey’s estate.
Unfortunately, this medical malpractice case is not an isolated incident. Every day, people are misdiagnosed and mistreated in hospitals, medical clinics, and doctor’s offices across the nation, including right here in Pittsburgh. Often, patients are not even aware that a mistake has been made. It comes to the fore, however, when the outcome of the error is injury, increased sickness, or tragically, death.
Sometimes, patients or families are made to feel as though they should not file a medical malpractice lawsuit because some have claimed that such suits are causing medical costs to skyrocket out of control. It is not, however, the filing of the suit that is the cause of any sort of problem, but the malpractice in the first place. Suggesting that it is wrong to file a medical malpractice suit when medical malpractice has occurred only further victimizes the victim.
If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, consult with an attorney in the Pittsburgh area as soon as possible. Only an experienced and knowledgeable attorney has the expertise to tell you whether your malpractice suit is legitimate or frivolous. If you have a viable claim, your attorney will help to guide you through the process of filing the suit and amassing the medical records that will be required to pursue your claim.
When you have suffered because of medical malpractice or negligence, you have the right to compensation. With the help of an experienced attorney in the Pittsburgh area, you can receive the restitution that you are due and help to ensure that no one else will have to endure what you have had to endure.
