When Florida residents seek emergency medical care, they expect that doctors will diagnose the problem promptly and take the proper steps to treat it. Unfortunately, one West Virginia woman didn’t receive such care. She alleges that she was forced to make multiple doctor visits over a two-month period, with the ultimate result being an amputation of her right leg.
The woman’s medical issues began in August 2011, when she experienced pain and swelling in her right leg for nearly a week. She went to the emergency room at Roane General Hospital in Spencer, West Virginia, to seek treatment. She was diagnosed with edema and was advised to see her primary care doctor.
The woman followed up with her physician about two weeks later. Again, she was diagnosed with edema. She was given a diuretic, and given orders for a chest X-ray and echocardiogram. The doctor told her to follow up a month later.
The woman saw the doctor again in 10 days. In a two-week period, she made three visits to the doctor and emergency room for the condition. She was referred to a vascular surgeon and diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease. In October 2011, the woman visited the emergency room again for foot pain and an infection. An examination showed a foul smell with necrosis.
Two day later, the woman’s right leg was amputated below the knee. Five days later, the leg required an amputation above the knee.
The woman and her husband are suing Hospital Development Co. and two physicians at Roane General Hospital for their failure to properly diagnose, treat and care for her. The medical malpractice lawsuit was filed in Kanawha Circuit Court on Sept. 12. The couple is seeking compensatory damages of an unknown amount.
The lawsuit alleges that if the doctors had acted reasonably, the woman might have avoided amputation. She is within her rights to file a medical malpractice suit, especially since the result was the loss of her leg. She may be able to receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, permanent disability and medical bills.
Source: The West Virginia Record, “Couple sue Roane General Hospital for medical malpractice” Kyla Asbury, Oct. 11, 2013
