When a person falls ill, the first step that he or she takes is usually visiting a hospital or primary care physician. Patients in Kentucky place their trust and lives in the hands of licensed and capable medical providers, and it is expected that these professionals will uphold an acceptable level of care. Unfortunately, medical professionals do not always perform their job duties as expected. A man in another state filed a medical malpractice claim after providers allegedly switched his samples and failed to make the correct diagnosis.
The man said he was experiencing severe abdominal pain, so he visited a hospital for treatment. While at the hospital, the man’s urine sample was allegedly switched with another patient’s sample who had used cocaine. According to the lawsuit, doctors at the hospital sent the man away instead of performing further tests and told him to stop using cocaine. The man said he told providers that he had never used cocaine, but they refused to listen.
The man claimed he returned home where he endured several days of extreme pain. Allegedly, a friend took the plaintiff to a different hospital where he was properly treated and determined to be suffering from a diseased gallbladder and pancreas. Despite numerous tests, the man was never found positive for cocaine, the lawsuit said. Reportedly, the lawsuit was recently settled with the man awarded $150,000.
When errors are made during medical treatment, the patient suffers the consequences. Those in Kentucky who have suffered injuries due to medical malpractice can take action by contacting a legal representative. Damages from a successful lawsuit can help victims and families recover from a traumatic experience.