Diabetes is a disease that causes high blood glucose levels and potentially leads to serious health complications such as amputation, nerve damage, blindness, or kidney failure if not properly managed. It not only requires a patient to be diligent about their care but also the doctors they entrust to accurately diagnose and treat the condition so these life-threatening issues can be avoided.
A personal injury lawyer is your best ally when seeking justice after suffering an injury due to diabetes medical malpractice in Kansas City. A skilled legal team can help you pursue the compensation you deserve and ensure that the liable party is held responsible.
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At Fowler Pickert Eisenmenger Norfleet, our medical malpractice attorneys have a deep knowledge of Kansas City’s medical malpractice laws and can use their expertise to make sure your rights are respected and your case is handled with the utmost care.
Causes of Diabetes Medical Malpractice
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate there are three types of diabetes:
- Type 1, when the body doesn’t produce the hormone insulin. Insulin helps blood sugar enter the cells and later be used for energy.
- Type 2, a condition that produces insulin but the cells either resist it or don’t use it well.
- Gestational, a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
Each type requires proper diagnosis so that treatment can begin in the earliest stages, but diabetes medical malpractice is caused by numerous factors.
In the battle against diabetes, timely diagnosis and proper care are crucial—when healthcare providers fail, it’s your right to seek justice and compensation for the consequences.
Failure to Diagnose Diabetes
This occurs if the physician doesn’t order the correct tests. It can also happen if the tests or equipment used for diagnosis were faulty, or the physician didn’t interpret the results correctly. If the condition goes undiagnosed, the patient won’t receive the proper treatment, and the disease can progress and worsen over time.
Errors in Medication
If the medication prescribed is incorrect or not the right dosage, this can cause high glucose levels. Over time, poorly managed glucose levels can cause:
- Excessive dizziness and disorientation
- Heart attack
- Kidney damage
- Nerve damage
- Partial or total loss of vision
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Coma
- Death
Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
If a doctor makes a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of diabetes, this can prevent a patient from receiving treatment for a significant amount of time which puts them at high risk for complications.
If gestational diabetes goes undiagnosed, the mother and child are both at risk for complications. Not managing blood sugar levels can result in organ damage, coma, or even death. It’s vital to get the proper diagnosis and receive treatment at the earliest stages of the disease to prevent these types of complications.
Lack of Communication
Lack of communication between health care professionals and patients often causes severe consequences. If a patient isn’t properly informed of their condition, the necessary treatments, and any other measures that can be done to keep the disease controlled, they can experience long-term complications.
If a physician doesn’t suggest follow-up visits or monitor the potential for the disease when it’s still in the pre-diabetes stage, the condition can progress and worsen. Frequent, detailed communication is critical for chronic disease stability and management.
