Understanding Intestinal Obstruction: Spotting Medical Negligence and Seeking Compensation
Intestinal obstruction occurs when food and stool cannot move freely through the gut. This condition can arise from various causes, including hernias, tumors, abdominal adhesions, volvulus (when the intestine twists around itself), or foreign objects. Intestinal obstructions are a serious, potentially life-threatening condition, especially if not treated promptly. Delays or improper management can lead to infection, intestinal perforation, and even death.
Accurate diagnosis is critical to managing intestinal obstruction. This includes a thorough medical history, physical examination, and the use of appropriate imaging techniques to confirm the diagnosis and determine the right treatment approach. However, when healthcare professionals fail to perform these steps adequately, the consequences can be severe, and in some cases, may constitute medical negligence.
How Medical Negligence Can Occur in Cases of Intestinal Obstruction
Medical negligence in cases of intestinal obstruction can occur in several ways, including:
- Incomplete medical history and examination: Failing to take a comprehensive patient history or conducting a limited physical examination can result in misdiagnosis. For example, diagnosing a patient with constipation when more serious underlying issues like obstruction or cancer are present can delay life-saving treatment.
- Failure to investigate symptoms: Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and the inability to pass stool or gas should raise immediate concerns about possible intestinal obstruction. If these signs are dismissed or not investigated with the appropriate urgency, it can lead to serious harm.
- Delayed use of imaging tests: Imaging, such as a CT scan, is essential for diagnosing bowel obstruction. Delays in ordering these tests can result in missed or delayed diagnoses, worsening the patient’s condition.
- Failure to treat intestinal obstruction as an emergency: Large bowel obstruction is a surgical emergency, and any delays in treatment can result in perforation, infection, or death. Immediate action, such as surgery or stenting, is often required to alleviate the obstruction.
Spotting Medical Negligence
If you or a loved one has experienced an intestinal obstruction, there are key signs that may indicate medical negligence occurred:
- Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis: If your healthcare provider did not investigate symptoms thoroughly or attributed them to less serious causes (such as constipation), and this led to a worsening of your condition, it may be negligence.
- Failure to perform an adequate examination: A proper abdominal examination should be done with the patient lying flat and include inspection, palpation, and other critical assessments. Failure to do so could lead to a missed diagnosis.
- Lack of urgency in treatment: Intestinal obstruction is an emergency. Delays in treatment can lead to life-threatening complications, such as perforation or sepsis.
How to Seek Compensation for Medical Negligence
If you believe that delays or mismanagement in the diagnosis or treatment of intestinal obstruction caused harm, you may be entitled to pursue a medical negligence claim. To succeed in a claim, you need to demonstrate:
- Breach of duty: The healthcare provider failed to meet the expected standard of care, such as not performing necessary tests, misdiagnosing symptoms, or delaying treatment.
- Causation: The breach of duty directly resulted in harm, such as serious complications, prolonged illness, or even death.
At Tomlin & Partners, our experienced medical negligence solicitors are here to help. We can assess your case and guide you through the process of making a claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Why Choose Tomlin & Partners?
Our team at Tomlin & Partners specializes in handling medical negligence cases, including those involving delayed diagnosis and treatment of intestinal obstruction. We understand the devastating impact that medical errors can have on patients and their families, and we are dedicated to helping you receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one has suffered due to the delayed or improper treatment of an intestinal obstruction, contact Tomlin & Partners today. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation and are committed to helping you achieve justice through expert legal representation.