A 17-year-old man arrived at a New York hospital screaming in agony. He had a fever and an elevated heartbeat of 145 beats per minute. Instead of consulting with a cardiologist, an emergency room doctor transferred the patient to Westchester Medical Center. Within two hours, the 17-year-old died of myocarditis caused by Lyme disease. The 17-year-old’s family believes that he contracted Lyme disease through a tick bite. According to his family, the pediatrician’s failure to administer adequate treatment caused the patient’s untimely death.
Failure to Diagnose Lyme Disease Leads to a Malpractice Lawsuit in New York
His family recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit after the teen’s death. The lawsuit contends that the young man’s pediatricians could have prevented the condition from going to his heart had they adequately treated him before he went to the emergency room. Instead, his pediatricians sent the young man home without the antibiotics that he required. The pediatricians allegedly said that since he did not show the classic Lyme disease rash, and the Lyme disease test came back negative, they did not need to treat him further.
Lyme Disease Advocates Want Better Testing Procedures
Lyme disease advocates would like the case to go to trial. A ruling in favor of the plaintiff’s family could help a broader audience understand the problems with identifying Lyme disease. Once bacteria spread into the body, there is no gold standard for testing for Lyme disease. The New York Department of Health Department reports that 7,320 people reported Lyme disease cases in 2018. However, a vast amount of Lyme disease goes undiagnosed. Many cases go undiagnosed due to a lack of adequate testing.
Who is Responsible for a Medical Malpractice Case in New York?
In New York, you have a right to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit for injuries you suffered against a licensed healthcare provider. To file a medical malpractice lawsuit, you need to prove that a medical professional’s negligence, errors or omissions, and misconduct caused you to suffer an injury. Healthcare providers include any organization or individual involved in providing health care and treatment, including the following:
- Doctors
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- Specialists
- Assisted living facilities
- Hospice care centers
- Free clinics
- Physical therapists
To succeed in a medical malpractice case, you will need to prove that a healthcare provider failed to exercise the degree of care, skill, and learning expected of a reasonably prudent health care provider. You must also prove that this failure was the proximate cause of your personal injury. Or, you can prove that the failure was the proximate contribution to your injury becoming more severe.
Seek the Help of a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury from a medical malpractice incident, you may have a right to compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Contact the lawyers at Pulvers Thomspon as soon as possible to discuss the possibility of filing a New York medical malpractice lawsuit.
