What Can Happen When Doctors Fail to Note a Preexisting Condition?
A retired U.S. Navy vet has been left vegetative after what was intended to be a routine colonoscopy/endoscopy went terribly wrong. The veteran suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the flow of air through the human airways becomes obstructed due to a relaxation of the throat muscles during sleep. When sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are administered the type of anesthesia that the veteran was given, there is a severe risk of triggering a hypopnea episode (the technical name for obstruction of airflow due to sleep apnea). To treat these patients, the airway must be protected. The doctors failed to protect the veteran’s airway, leading to respiratory and cardiac arrest and severe brain damage from lack of oxygen.
The victim’s attorney says that this case is open-and-shut malpractice. The hospital in which the veteran was treated, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, has treated this veteran for years, even having him participate in one of their sleep studies that confirmed his obstructive sleep apnea. The hospital should have known of his underlying condition. Because of their deviation in protocol, the veteran now lives in a nursing home without the ability to walk or talk.
What Can I Do If I Believe I Am a Victim of Medical Malpractice?
Richard M. Shapiro founded the Shapiro Law Group to help people facing catastrophic injuries from accidents or medical malpractice, and he has the experience necessary to seek the compensation you deserve. If you suspect that you have been a victim of medical malpractice, don’t hesitate to contact Shapiro Law Group.
Shapiro Law Group – Medical Malpractice Attorneys Serving the Tampa Bay Area