A 69-year-old Florida woman died after receiving the wrong diagnosis and improper treatment. Her family has filed a malpractice lawsuit against a doctor and UF Florida Shands Hospital. Lawyers say that AnnaMary Bakley of Starke, FL, fell in her home. She was taken to UF Shands, where she reported severe abdominal pain. Doctors determined that she was bleeding in her gastrointestinal tract. They transferred her to North Florida Regional Medical Center so she could get more specialized care.
The G.I. specialist at NFRMC, Dr. Gabu Bhardwaj, made a diagnosis of obstructive jaundice. Gallstones can cause the condition by blocking bile from leaving the liver. The doctor scheduled imaging tests for the next day. It turns out though, that Dr. Bhardwaj had made the wrong diagnosis.
The family’s personal injury lawyers are suing the doctor and his practice, along with NFRMC. The lawyers say that Shands Hospital had made the correct diagnosis of G.I. bleeding. In their wrong diagnosis medical malpractice lawsuit, the lawyers allege that Bakley was bleeding internally from a stomach ulcer.
The lawyers say that while both jaundice and a bleeding ulcer cause abdominal pain, the conditions have other unique symptoms. Bakley showed the classic symptoms of internal bleeding, according to the malpractice lawsuit. She was pale, had low blood pressure and a low blood count. Symptoms of obstructive jaundice, on the other hand, include a yellowing of the skin and eyes, which Bakley did not have. Lawyers say there was no reason for the wrong diagnosis.
A Wrong Diagnosis Can be Deadly
They say that Bakley should have received emergency treatment for the problem. Instead, because of the wrong diagnosis, Bakley died from cardiac arrest due to blood loss. According to reports, 12 million Americans receive the wrong diagnosis every year. Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in America, leading to innumerable medical malpractice lawsuits.
If you need a lawyer because the wrong diagnosis or any other medical malpractice or negligence has harmed you or a loved one, there is help. Contact the Orlando personal injury attorneys at Martinez Manglardi. Call 407-846-2240 for a free consultation. Offices throughout Central Florida.
