Despite all of the advances made in the medical industry in recent years, medicine can still be classified as an evolving science. Doctors and other healthcare providers in Providence and across the rest of the country see countless patients day after day, most of whom are suffering from fairly common ailments. It’s through the experience in spotting and treating these ailments combined with their education that helps healthcare providers to hone their diagnostic skills. Yet unfortunately, not every doctor can be right in his or her diagnosis all of time. When a misdiagnosis does occur, patients may suffer from delayed treatment while their doctors open themselves up to accusations of negligence.
Such is the case surrounding a Louisiana woman. In a lawsuit filed against multiple providers, she claims to have come to them suffering from encephalitis caused by the herpes simplex virus. Such a complication of herpes is considered to be extremely rare. The woman believes that the doctors named in the lawsuit failed to immediately recognize the condition. Because if the failure to diagnose the condition initially, her treatment was delayed, causing her symptoms to worsen. When she finally was treated, she also claims that treatment wasn’t delivered properly.
While diagnosing rare ailments may present a challenge to doctors, the expectation is still that their knowledge and understanding will ultimately help them to correctly identify a patient’s condition. When that standard of care is not met, patients may have good cause to pursue action against their providers. Anyone considering such action may wish to speak with an attorney with experience in handling medical malpractice cases.