The brain is like the engine that operates the body. For that reason, any head injury should be taken seriously. Unfortunately, one Illinois medical facility allegedly failed to detect the bleeding inside a man’s brain and the consequences were tragic.
A bleeding brain is a serious condition. In fact, sadly, it is often fatal. It often occurs when an artery in the brain bursts and causes localized bleeding in the brain tissue. Unfortunately, that type of bleeding kills brain cells, which can lead to the loss of fine motor skills, loss of balance, severe headaches and changes in vision. Despite the seriousness of this condition, doctors from Palos Heights hospital allegedly failed to diagnose it. That is the claim that one Illinois family has made against the hospital and doctors in connection with a wrongful death medical malpractice case.
According to the report, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Palos Community Hospital and against two doctors who cared for the male patient. The patient suffered cerebral injuries as a result of a fall in the hospital on March 12, 2013. However, the patient’s family believes that the doctors’ failure to diagnose his brain bleed eventually led to his death. The victim’s family is seeking compensation for emotional damages, benefits for the man’s surviving children and legal expenses.
Medical error continues to endanger the lives of Americans. While it is understandable that doctors sometime make mistakes because they are human, failure to diagnose a medical condition violates the standard of care requirement. In the event of a wrongful death, a medical mistake can be considered negligence.
Source: The Cook County Record, “Doctor’s failure to diagnose brain bleed led to man’s death estate executor says,” Carol Ostrow, Feb. 25, 2015