Florida parents dread it when their child is seriously ill. However, they hope that their child will receive the best medical treatment possible. A six-year-old girl from Texas was not so lucky. After being hospitalized several times in July and August 2011, doctors failed to diagnose the girl with appendicitis. The doctors’ missed diagnosis will now cause the girl to need lifelong medical treatment.
The girl complained of stomach pain and was taken to the pediatrician and emergency room on several occasions. She also had a racing heartbeat and fever. Despite these symptoms, doctors failed to diagnose appendicitis. Finally, the girl was taken to Covenant Children’s Hospital to undergo surgery. She had a ruptured appendix and inside her stomach was three quarts of pus, which doctors had to remove. The girl underwent cardiac arrest three times and doctors performed CPR on her for 45 minutes.
As a result, the girl had to have a leg amputated and she now suffers from brain damage. Although her parents feel lucky she is still alive, she is very dependent on her parents and will need lifelong care. The girl is emotionally and physically scarred and the family wants justice.
The girl’s parents have filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against three doctors in Midland, Texas, as well as Midland Pediatric Associates, Midland Memorial Hospital and Midland Emergency Management. They are seeking more than a million dollars, which won’t even come close to paying for past and future medical expenses. To date, the medical costs have exceeded $1.6 million, with lifelong care expected to surpass $40 million.
This is a sad situation that no parent would ever want to have happen to their child. Appendicitis is a fairly common condition that should have been diagnosed and treated quickly. There is no excuse for why the cause of the symptoms couldn’t be determined after several doctor visits. The parents are within their legal rights to demand some sort of compensation for what they and their daughter have gone through.
Source: NewsWest9.com, “Midland Family Files Medical Malpractice Suit Against Midland Memorial Hospital” Alexa Williams, Jul. 29, 2013
