A partial or full small bowel obstruction can occur for various reasons, such as scar tissue, colon cancer, or a hernia. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. If not treated properly and promptly, a small bowel obstruction may lead to dangerous complications such as perforation, sepsis, or bowel ischemia.
If your doctor failed to diagnose or treat your small bowel obstruction properly, you could seek compensation in a Florida malpractice case. A Florida medical malpractice lawyer can evaluate your situation and explain whether you qualify to file a claim or lawsuit.
What Compensation Is Available For Small Bowel Obstruction Complications In A Malpractice Case?
If you experienced small bowel obstruction complications due to medical negligence, you may qualify for various economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Current and future medical expenses, including surgeries, medications, diagnostic testing, medical equipment, etc.
- Current and future lost income (if you must miss work while you recover)
- Diminished ability to earn (if you cannot return to your job due to long-term complications or lasting impairments)
- Non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering and emotional anguish
If your loved one experienced a small bowel obstruction complication that led to their death, such as septic shock or gangrene, an attorney can help your family seek appropriate damages, such as:
- The decedent’s medical bills
- Funeral and burial or cremation costs
- The decedent’s physical pain and suffering
- Emotional pain and suffering of survivors
- Loss of household income and services
- Loss of companionship, consortium, guidance, and care
We are deeply sorry for your loss. Our Florida wrongful death lawyers would be honored to lead your claim for justice and fair compensation.
Proving Negligence In A Small Bowel Obstruction Medical Malpractice Claim
To qualify for a medical malpractice claim, you must be able to prove negligence. The four legal elements of negligence include:
- Duty of care– The medical professional in question had a duty to protect you from harm (a doctor-patient relationship existed).
- Breach of duty– They provided substandard or inappropriate medical care.
- Causation– Their actions (or inaction) caused you to experience unnecessary complications from a small bowel obstruction.
- Damages– You suffered economic and/or non-economic losses because of their mistake.
All medical malpractice lawsuits in Florida must include an “Affidavit of Merit” created by a qualified medical professional who is willing to testify of the lack of appropriate care you received. Your Florida personal injury lawyer can gather evidence to prove negligence and help you obtain this crucial document.
How Can A Small Bowel Obstruction Lead To Medical Malpractice?
A small bowel obstruction may lead to medical malpractice if a healthcare professional makes any of the following mistakes:
- Failure to diagnose: Patients can experience complications if a doctor does not diagnose their small bowel obstruction promptly by evaluating their symptoms and running appropriate tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, or ultrasounds.
- Misdiagnosis: Patients may also experience harm if their doctor incorrectly diagnoses them with a different condition (due to misreading an imaging scan, for example) instead of correctly diagnosing a small bowel obstruction.
- Delayed treatment: If a doctor correctly diagnoses a small bowel obstruction but does not take swift action to correct the problem, such as performing surgery or using a nasogastric (NG) tube to remove the obstruction, complications may result.
- Inappropriate treatment: Misdiagnosis or other forms of negligence could lead a medical professional to use inappropriate treatments for the small bowel obstruction and cause further unnecessary harm to the patient.
- Surgical errors: A surgeon may be liable for malpractice if they cause undue harm to the patient while performing surgery to correct a small bowel obstruction, such as accidentally perforating the bowel or leaving a surgical instrument inside the patient’s body.
These are just a few hypothetical examples of potential medical negligence. Your Florida medical malpractice attorney will conduct a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened to you and whether the care (or lack of care) you received qualifies you for compensation.
Who Is Liable For Your Damages?
Potential negligent parties who may owe you compensation for your small bowel obstruction complications include a:
- Physician
- Surgeon
- Nurse
- Hospital, urgent care clinic, or other medical facility
Assigning liability for your damages may be easier said than done. Your Florida medical errors lawyer will gather evidence to determine who is responsible and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.
Common Symptoms And Potential Complications Of A Small Bowel Obstruction
According to the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic, some of the common symptoms of a small bowel obstruction include:
- Abdominal cramping, bloating, pain, or swelling
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Lack of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
You should seek immediate medical care if you experience any of these symptoms to prevent possible complications. Failure to diagnose or treat a small bowel obstruction promptly can lead to various complications, such as:
- Bowel strangulation or ischemia (tissue death)
- Peritonitis (abdominal cavity infection)
- Sepsis
- Bowel perforation
If you received substandard medical care that caused you to experience complications, you could be able to recover a financial reward that fairly compensates you for all the harm you endured. The severity and ongoing problems you experience because of these complications will determine how much compensation you can claim.
You Have A Limited Time To File A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit For Small Bowel Obstruction Complications In Florida
Per Florida Statutes § 95.11, you generally have two years from the date the medical error occurred or the date you learned about the error to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Florida. Some exceptions apply, but they are rare.
We recommend contacting our personal injury law firm as soon as possible to learn about your eligibility for compensation. Our Florida medical negligence lawyers will gather evidence, assign liability, prove your damages, and help you take back control of your life.
Get Help From A Florida Medical Negligence Attorney Today
At Anidjar & Levine, we have been serving victims of negligence since 2005. We can help you file a claim for compensation if you experienced small bowel obstruction complications due to a negligent medical professional.
We’ll do all the fighting so you don’t have to. Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation.
We Can Help.
