A spinal cord injury obviously need to be treated immediately and carefully. But often times a medical misdiagnosis can lead to these types of injuries going untreated. And a wrong, misdiagnosed, or delayed diagnosis can result in long lasting and permanent injury that could have otherwise been treated.
Spinal Cord Injury: Spinal Epidural Abscess
Recently, the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry published a paper reminding doctors about the dangers of delayed diagnoses and how important it is to treat a kind of spinal cord injury, a spinal epidural abscess, early on.
A spinal epidural abscess is when a mass of infected material becomes fixed between membranes covering the spinal cord and the bones of the spinal cord. This can be caused by bacteria, staph infection, and fungus. According to the paper, “Spinal epidural abscess: the importance of early diagnosis and treatment”, suggests patients timely diagnosed and treated have an excellent prognosis. A delayed diagnosis of a spinal epidural abscess can result in severe and long-term spinal cord injuries. Injuries caused by a delay in the diagnosis of spinal epidural abscess can lead to central nervous system damage or death.
Failure to Diagnose in a Timely Fashion
When a healthcare provider fails to diagnose a spinal epidural abscess, or fails to do so in a timely manner, a patient’s trust is betrayed. But also, and worse, their health and recovery are jeopardized. According to MedlinePlus, once a patient begins to experience weakness, paralysis, or sensation changes, the chances of recovering a lost function from spinal cord injuries are reduced.
Negligence and Eligibility
Patients suffering from severe spinal cord injuries as a result of a healthcare provider’s negligence may be eligible to be compensated for their medical expenses and perhaps other loses. Speaking with a spinal cord injury lawyer can help you determine if you have a case and if you might be eligible for compensation.
If you or a family member have been injured with a spinal cord injury, you need the expert advice of lawyers such as those at Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC.
