South Carolina Medical Malpractice Blog

Can you make a claim over a delayed diagnosis?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

You had been coughing for weeks, so you finally went to the doctor to find out what the problem was. After a number of tests, they tell you to go home and wait for lab results. Those results never come. Several weeks later, you remember that you had tests performed and call to find out what they said.

You learn that your doctor knew for the last several weeks that you had an unusual appearance on the X-ray. You could have pneumonia, or it could be something much worse. Regardless, you didn't get any information about it for several weeks past when the results came back.

Dehydration is unacceptable in a medical setting: Learn more

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.

When you place a loved one in a nursing home for care, you expect that the staff will take care of them accordingly. Part of the plan of care will always be to make sure your loved one is getting enough to drink during the day. Failing to do so can significantly impact the way an elderly person feels.

Dehydration has many symptoms such as:

Dizziness
Nausea
Stomach cramps
Confusion
Dry mouth
Weakness

Behavioral changes could indicate nursing home abuse

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

Your mother lives in a nursing home. Your father passed away a few years ago, and it was hard for her, but you all pulled together around her and she really did seem to bounce back. She started to seem like herself again: happy, engaging, loving and excited to see her family.

Unfortunately, due to her age and some physical limitations, she had to move into a nursing home. She simply could not live on her own, without your father around to help out, and you and your siblings could not move in with her because you have your own families.

Frailty makes the elderly more vulnerable

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Friday, August 23, 2019.

One of the natural impacts of aging is an increase in frailty. Injuries do not heal as quickly as they once did. People do not recover quite as fast. Injuries that they once would have considered minor now take a larger toll.

There is nothing that can be done to avoid this process entirely; even someone who works hard to stay in excellent shape is eventually going to see an increase in frailty and vulnerability. Experts note that this is because of a "cumulative decline in multiple physiological systems over a lifespan." This means that a relatively minor event can "trigger disproportionate changes in health status."

What happens when your doctor doesn't listen to you?

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Monday, August 5, 2019.

You know your own body better than anyone else ever could. You live with it 24/7. While you may not have an intimate understanding of the various biological processes that keep you alive, you know what is normal for you and what is not.

Unfortunately, medicine is, in many ways, a study of averages. Doctors spend a long time learning about the most common causes of various symptoms, but they also learn extreme and rare causes of them as well. Proper diagnosis involves taking the time to determine the exact symptoms and then ruling out certain causes until you only have one potential reason for the patient's issues.

Malpractice claims related to opioid addiction are on the rise

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Modern pain relief is arguably the most critical of all the medical advances our society has made. The ability to operate on those with injuries or to provide reliable trauma care depends entirely on the ability of doctors to control the pain level of their patients.

Uncontrolled pain can cause a spike in blood pressure or even shock, a potentially deadly medical condition. Decades ago, doctors had only a handful of options for pain relief, including the narcotic painkillers we know as morphine and codeine. In recent years, the rise in synthetic opioids has made it easier and cheaper than ever to manage severe, chronic or acute pain.

Financial abuse is a reality in many assisted living facilities

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

Improper care of nursing home residents can take many forms. Sometimes, it looks like a messy facility or a lack of adequate staff. Other times, nursing home abuse can look like inappropriate financial pressure placed on residents by staff.

While many family members who have loved ones in nursing homes will likely be on the lookout for warning signs of significant neglect or ongoing abuse, they may not stop to think about the potential for financial abuse.

An over-eager doctor can be a real danger in the delivery room

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

Pregnancy, labor and delivery are natural processes through which a human grows a new life form and then pushes it out of their body. Women have been birthing children for as long as the species has existed. Despite issues with maternal and infant mortality, most women and children survived the birth process.

Unfortunately, some doctors in western medicine tend to take an aggressive approach toward labor and delivery. Doctors try to handle it like it is a disease or a medical condition that requires treatment and intervention, rather than as a natural process that should occur mostly on its own. The consequence of that attitude is that doctors may take unnecessary steps that cause more danger for the patient.

Why it's so hard to stop nursing home abuse

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

Many abusers simply look for vulnerable individuals whom they think they can take advantage of. This is why you see cases of domestic violence, for example, that target young people or those who are financially dependent on their abusers. It makes them vulnerable.

That's also part of the reason for nursing home abuse. The elderly have a relationship with their caregivers that makes them directly vulnerable. They need that care to stay healthy. They may not have any way to physically stand up for themselves. Abusers see this as an opportunity for financial abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and mental abuse, and much more.

You have to be your own advocate in labor and delivery

On behalf of Fayrell Furr of Furr & Henshaw on Thursday, April 25, 2019.

If you are like many expectant mothers, you probably put a lot of thought into selecting your obstetrician when you realized you were pregnant. It's also possible that you trusted your family doctor to provide prenatal services and help when your child arrives. Unfortunately, not every doctor really deserves the trust that pregnant women place in them.

While most doctors are dedicated to the care of their patients, there are always a few bad eggs. Your doctor may even convince you that they have your best interest at heart until you arrive at the hospital for the birth of your child. Then, you could find yourself facing the harsh reality of that your doctor is more concerned with their own convenience than with your safety and health.