Thankful to the many advances in medical technology, many of the diseases and health concerns that were previously deadly or fatal are now easily treatable. The trick, however, is catching the disease before it is too far progressed. This idea of early treatment is so important that doctors can be responsible for failing to diagnose an issue before it is too late. Especially for quick moving cancers, if a patient suffers because a doctor missed a diagnosis, the patient may want to consider speaking with a New York Failure to Diagnose Cancer Lawyer.
A doctor must use the requisite standard of care when treating patients and this applies across the board, to the young, elderly and even to prison inmates. Prisons often contract out for medical services, bringing in private companies to provide health care to inmates. One company in particular is facing legal troubles after one inmate recently died from a fairly treatable heart condition. The company doesn’t have a great track record in New York prisons either.
The heart condition, if caught early on and treated properly, should not result in death but for some reason the company failed to diagnose the inmate’s symptoms. She was treated instead for drug withdrawal and by the time anyone administered a diagnostic test, it was too late. The inmate did have a history of drug use, which should have tipped off the physician because the heart condition at issue is common in drug users.
New York’s Attorney General is also investigating the company. New York’s Commission of Correction also determined previously that the company had a hand in the death of inmates and discovered some wrongdoing in those cases.
The pattern of issues and deaths is troubling and while those in the general population need not worry about medical treatment within the prison system, this story highlights the importance of researching doctors and hospitals for safety and treatment records. By choosing the right doctor or facility, patients can hopefully avoid a subsequent malpractice suit.
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Private medical company facing trouble for failure to diagnose
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Jay W. Dankner
JAY W. DANKNER was born, raised and educated in Brooklyn, New York. After graduation from law school in 1973, he joined the firm of the legendary, Harry H, Lipsig, under whose tutelage he learned the intricacies of civil litigation and trials. He tried and won his first case against General Motors in a case involving a design defect within weeks after his admission. Thereafter, he focused his attention on the emerging and developing field of law known as products liability litigation.
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