Your Doctor Failed to Diagnose Kidney Failure? – Consult Eric H. Weitz

Our kidneys play a vital role in our bodies. These organs are about the size of a fist, and they work to filter our blood, remove waste and extra water, and create urine. If your doctor did not properly diagnose your kidney failure, they may be guilty of malpractice. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys are ready to investigate your case and work to determine whether you are entitled to compensation.

How a doctor diagnoses kidney failure

Typically, various signs and symptoms will suggest to a doctor that you may be experiencing kidney failure. A doctor may suggest certain tests and procedures verify this diagnosis. This can include:

• Measuring urine outputs
• Urine tests
• Blood tests
• Imaging tests
• Removing a sample of the kidney for testing (biopsy)

How could a doctor fail to discover kidney failure?

Unfortunately, there are times when a doctor does not properly diagnose kidney failure. This can result in a patient requiring dialysis for the rest of their lives. In some cases, a doctor’s failure to diagnose leads to a patient’s death. Approximately 660,000 people are living with kidney failure in the United States.

Some cases of kidney failure will revolve around a failure to properly diagnose the issue. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, diagnostic errors are the medical mistakes that cause the most patient harm and lead to the most medical malpractice lawsuits. The researchers estimate that as many as 80,000 to 160,000 patients are killed each year due to a misdiagnosis.

Kidney failure misdiagnosis is more likely to occur when a doctor:

• fails to properly address signs and symptoms a patient is displaying
• does not take a proper patient medical history or gather family medical history
• improperly reads a patient’s test results
• prescribes medications that dramatically increase the risk of kidney disease

Kidney failure treatment can result in significant expenses for a patient. If a doctor fails to detect and treat early-stage kidney disease, end-stage kidney failure could result in a patient requiring:

• Dialysis, which is a process used to artificially remove waste products and additional fluid from your blood because your kidneys can no longer do this.
• A kidney transplant, which involves placing a healthy kidney from a donor into a patient’s body. If a person is lucky enough to receive a kidney transplant, they will need to take medication for the rest of their life to keep their body from rejecting the new organ.

Let us get to work on your behalf

If you or somebody you care about is suffering from kidney failure that a doctor previously did not diagnose, seek legal assistance today. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our qualified and experienced attorneys will investigate your case and work to secure any compensation you are entitled to. This can include:

• Compensation for all medical expenses related to kidney failure
• Coverage of lost wages if you are unable to work
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Possible punitive damages against the medical professional responsible

When you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.