Being misdiagnosed during a medical examination can be frustrating and scary, depending on the diagnosis. Sometimes a misdiagnosis can even lead to medical complications for a patient later down the road, which is exactly what happened to Roanoke patient Alexander Nelson. As a result of being “misdiagnosed during an examination,” Nelson filed a medical malpractice against Radiology Associates of Roanoke last year, “seeking $2.25 million in damages.” The trial for the case began earlier this month, and ended with the jury recommending a “$1.5 million award be paid to Nelson.” But what kind of complications did Nelson suffer as a result of his misdiagnosis?
Being misdiagnosed during a medical examination can be frustrating and scary, depending on the diagnosis. Sometimes a misdiagnosis can even lead to medical complications for a patient later down the road, which is exactly what happened to Roanoke patient Alexander Nelson. As a result of being “misdiagnosed during an examination,” Nelson filed a medical malpractice suit against Radiology Associates of Roanoke last year, “seeking $2.25 million in damages.” The trial for the case began earlier this month, and ended with the jury recommending a “$1.5 million award be paid to Nelson.” But what kind of complications did Nelson suffer as a result of his misdiagnosis?
According to his lawsuit, Nelson claimed he was “examined in August 2016 after he went to LewisGale Medical Center’s emergency room with abdominal pain.” During his examination, he “underwent a CT scan, supervised by a representative of Radiology Associates, and the subsequent report made no reference to appendicitis or possible appendicitis.” Instead, he was misdiagnosed with mesenteritis, otherwise known as “inflammation near the small intestines,” and was sent home to rest.
Unfortunately, Nelson’s condition worsened, and two days later he returned to the hospital, only to discover that his appendix had ruptured. Surgery was required to remedy the situation, but unfortunately, he ended up suffering a stroke on the operating table, according to the lawsuit. In addition to the stroke, Nelson also “suffered sepsis, respiratory failure, and clotting as a result” of the burst appendix. Additionally, during his treatment, hospital stays, and follow-up therapy, he racked up medical bills totaling about $365,600.
According to the lawsuit, however, everything Nelson underwent was preventable. For starters, “the CT scan during Nelson’s first visit showed an unruptured appendicitis, and his attorneys argued that the condition of his appendix was misinterpreted and misreported.” His lawyer, Anthony Russell, said, “our experts explained that it likely ruptured 24 hours after the first scan, given what was shown.”
During the trial, it didn’t take long for the jury to reach a decision on whether or not Nelson was owed a settlement for all he endured. In fact, it only took the jury “three hours before returning a verdict for the plaintiff and their award recommendation.” The award recommendation has yet to be finalized by the judge, however.
How did Radiology Associates respond to the lawsuit and award recommendation, though? At the moment the attorney representing Radiology Associates, John Jesse, commented earlier this week that “he was not yet able to comment on the case.” That doesn’t mean the healthcare provider won’t push back. According to the terms of the award recommendation, Radiology Associates “has 30 days in which to file post-trial motions.”
Sources:
Jury delivers $1.5 million malpractice verdict against Roanoke radiology practice
Jury recommends radiology practice pay $1.5M in malpractice suit
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