South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
A hospital system in Alabama was granted a new trial following a jury verdict for $10 million in favor of a man who sued for medical malpractice over his infant son’s treatment. The primary cause for reversal, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled, was the trial court’s decision to allow prior acts and omissions by the hospital system defendant. These facts were not relevant to the case at hand, justices ruled, and were ultimately highly prejudicial to the defense. 
Although this is surely not the news plaintiff wanted to hear, it does not mean the case is lost. It means medical malpractice attorneys will need to be fully prepared to thoroughly establish a failure to meet the applicable standard of medical care this scenario necessitated.
According to court records, the child ultimately suffered from seizure disorder, blindness and deafness as a result of misdiagnosed bacterial meningitis. Research published by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota revealed approximately 20 percent of patients who sought a second opinion at one of the country’s top medical providers learned they had been initially misdiagnosed by their primary care provider. Study authors noted that correct diagnosis can be difficult because there are some 10,000 diseases and only about 300 symptoms. Our medical malpractice attorneys in West Palm Beach recognize that a misdiagnosis in and of itself is not enough to bring a case. One must show with expert witness testimony and other evidence that the physician’s diagnosis failed to meet the accepted standard of care for his or her specialty, region and facility. Expert witnesses must be vetted and hold the same general credentials as the defendant doctor or healthcare provider. Continue reading