A Serious Fracture Can Lead To Serious Consequences
The misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of a serious fracture can lead to several complications, including multiple surgeries, joint replacement or permanent disability. If you or a family member has suffered additional injuries or lifelong disability due to a serious fracture, contact Breslin & Breslin in Hackensack to discuss your case and determine whether medical negligence may have been involved.
Delayed Fracture Diagnosis Due To X-Ray Errors Or Misdiagnosis As A Sprain
In most cases, the diagnosis of a fracture is fairly obvious, and an X-ray will confirm the presence of a broken bone. A delay in ordering an X-ray or other X-ray errors such as taking the X-ray from the wrong angle or of the wrong limb, however, can lead to a delayed or inaccurate diagnosis. Bones that fracture in place or do not otherwise present the more obvious signs of a break such as severe swelling, bleeding, numbness or paralysis can also be misdiagnosed as a severe sprain, and X-rays may not even be ordered.
Serious fracture injuries such as fractures of the spine or femoral head (your hip bone) may not be readily apparent to a simple X-ray, and more tests such as a CAT scan or MRI may be required. A delay or misdiagnosis of these types of fractures can result in paraplegia or quadriplegia; the need for bone grafts, pins or screws to stabilize the bone; joint replacement in the future; or avascular necrosis, a serious condition in which bone cells die prematurely due to an interruption in blood supply.
Our attorneys recovered $2.7 million for a client injured by the failure to diagnose a cervical fracture. We offer the in-depth analysis needed to determine whether medical negligence played a role in your injury and we have the trial skills to pursue the claim toward a successful result, if warranted.
Call 201-546-5881 To Discuss Your Legal Options In A Free Consultation
It is important to remember that complications arising from serious fractures may not always be the result of medical negligence. Our medical malpractice lawyers work with orthopedic surgeons, emergency room physicians, physical therapists and other musculoskeletal health care specialists to determine whether your medical team may have departed from the standards of care used to diagnose and treat fractures.
Our attorneys manage fracture misdiagnosis throughout northern New Jersey. For a free consultation about your legal rights in a misdiagnosed fracture case, contact our firm in Hackensack.