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Our Medical Solicitors can help you if you’ve suffered pain, injury or mental health problems following a late or missed DVT diagnosis.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, typically in the leg.
DVT can be dangerous because if the clot breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs and cause a blockage, called a pulmonary embolism, which can be life-threatening.
Symptoms of DVT include swelling, pain, and redness in the affected limb. If you suspect you have DVT, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Unfortunately, research indicates that deep vein thrombosis affects approximately one thousand people annually in the United Kingdom.
While many of these cases could not be helped, there are sadly many cases where doctors failed to accurately monitor, diagnose, and treat DVT in an appropriate amount of time, causing avoidable harm to the patient.
Medical negligence in relation to DVT may lead to a great deal of physical, emotional, and financial stress on a patient’s life and on the lives of their loved ones.
If you believe that the actions or inactions of the health care professionals in relation to a deep vein thrombosis caused unnecessary pain and suffering, you may be able to file a claim for compensation.
The experienced team of medical negligence solicitors at SDS Solicitors in Manchester are here to support you through the process.
Medical negligence can occur in relation to DVT in a number of ways. Some examples include:
Failure to diagnose: A doctor may fail to recognise the signs and symptoms of DVT, or may not order the appropriate diagnostic tests, leading to a delayed or missed diagnosis.
Failure to treat: A doctor may not provide the appropriate treatment for DVT, such as administering blood thinners or recommending compression stockings, which can increase the risk of complications.
Failure to monitor: A doctor may not monitor a patient properly after a DVT diagnosis, which can lead to an untreated clot progressing and causing serious complications.
Failure to recognize risk factors: A doctor may not recognise a patient's risk factors for DVT, such as recent surgery or immobility, and therefore fail to take preventative measures.
Miscommunication: Miscommunication between different doctors or healthcare professionals can lead to a failure to recognise the signs and symptoms of DVT, and delay diagnosis and treatment.
It is the healthcare professional's responsibility to provide a standard of care that meets the accepted standards in the medical community. Failing to meet these standards could be considered negligent and give rise to a compensation claim.
No one should have to endure the pain and discomfort that DVT misdiagnosis negligence can cause. Medical negligence is a very serious offence, and those who have been harmed by it deserve to be compensated at the very least.
For decades, we have been advocating for our clients and securing appropriate compensation to support them through their next steps.
DVT misdiagnosis can have devastating effects on a person's life, but a successful claim can help significantly by alleviating some of the financial burden.
At SDS Solicitors, our specialists have a vast amount of experience advising and supporting our clients from all over England and Wales.
Contact one of our experts today by calling the number at the top of this page or by filling out our contact form to learn how we can assist you, advising whether you may have a valid claim, and estimating how much compensation you may be entitled to.
It is important to be aware of the key symptoms of DVT, especially if you are in a higher risk group.
Most people will experience pain or swelling in the affected limb, pain, tenderness, redness, heat, and/or discomfort.
If you are currently experiencing any or all these symptoms, please contact your doctor as soon as possible to seek medical advice. When left untreated, deep vein thrombosis can lead to a multitude of serious medical conditions.
If deep vein thrombosis is not diagnosed in a timely manner more serious symptoms may present themselves including chest pains, coughing up blood and breathlessness. This may be a sign of a pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot in the lungs which can be fatal if not treated quickly. If you experience symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, please call 999 immediately.
DVT is typically caused by extended periods of immobility, such as sitting for many hours on a long-distance flight. It can also occur when anaesthesia is administered during surgery to temporarily immobilise the body.
Other risk factors which can increase your susceptibility to deep vein thrombosis include:
Doctors are well aware of these risk factors, and of the potential for surgery to cause blood clots.
All patients are owed a duty of care, and all healthcare professionals are expected to maintain this same high standard across the board. It is vital that doctors monitor their patients properly, especially after surgery, for signs of deep vein thrombosis.
Despite this, mistakes that impact the lives of patients are made every year. If you or someone you know finds themselves in this unfortunate position, please contact us for help.
A misdiagnosis of deep vein thrombosis can be extremely dangerous. This is because the longer that the patient’s blood clot goes undiagnosed, the higher the likelihood of the patient’s condition worsening. If the blood clot/s move to the lungs, this can lead to a pulmonary embolism which can be fatal.
DVT is sometimes misdiagnosed in one of several possible ways.
One possible cause of a misdiagnosis is that the symptoms of DVT can be similar to those of other conditions, such as a muscle strain or sprain, varicose veins, or a pulled muscle. This can make it difficult for a doctor to diagnose DVT based on symptoms alone.
Another is that diagnostic tests for DVT, such as a Doppler ultrasound or a D-dimer blood test, are not always 100% accurate. These tests may not detect a clot in the early stages or may produce false-positive results.
On some occasions the patient may not have any symptoms of DVT, making it difficult for the doctor to diagnose the condition.
Finally, some people may be at high risk of DVT but may not be diagnosed because they are not aware of their risk factors, or they do not mention them to their doctor.
It's important to have a clinical suspicion of DVT and run appropriate diagnostic tests to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. It's also important to have a high index of suspicion in patients with high-risk factors and to act promptly if DVT is suspected.
We all experience health conditions in slightly different ways, so doctors need to be attuned to their patient’s symptoms in order to make an accurate diagnosis.
Where a diagnosis is particularly difficult to make, there may not be an argument for a misdiagnosis negligence claim. If other competent medical professionals faced with the same scenario would have acted similarly it is not possible to hold an individual liable.
For this reason, mistaking obvious symptoms of DVT for another condition (for example, sciatica) could be considered negligent.
A deep vein thrombosis misdiagnosis may also occur if your GP failed to refer you to the hospital following your consultation. Typically, this happens when the GP fails to correctly recognise the severity of the injury and instead diagnoses it as a sprain.
An untreated DVT can be so dangerous that post-surgery patients must be closely monitored, and appropriate steps taken to minimise the risks.
There are several ways to minimise the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after surgery:
Early mobilisation: Encouraging the patient to get up and move around as soon as possible after surgery can help to prevent blood clots from forming.
Compression stockings: Wearing compression stockings can help to improve circulation in the legs and reduce the risk of DVT.
Medications: Administering anticoagulant medications, such as heparin or warfarin, can help to thin the blood and prevent clots from forming.
Mechanical prophylaxis: Mechanical methods such as intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) device or compression boots can be used to prevent blood clots formation after surgery.
Risk assessment: Performing a risk assessment on the patient before surgery can help to identify those who are at high risk of DVT, and take appropriate preventive measures.
Monitoring: Close monitoring of the patient's vital signs and symptoms to detect DVT early and intervene promptly.
Patient education: Educating the patient about the signs and symptoms of DVT and encouraging them to report any concerns to the healthcare team.
It's important to note that the best strategy for preventing DVT after surgery will depend on the patient's individual circumstances and risk factors.
It's also important to mention that the best strategy for preventing DVT after surgery is a multidisciplinary approach that involves collaboration between the surgeon, anaesthesiologist, nurses, and physical therapist.
Sometimes, a DVT might be misdiagnosed legitimately due to complications that would have made the diagnosis difficult for any Doctor. The mistake may be considered unavoidable as you may not have shown all the usual symptoms of the condition. In such cases, there would not be a viable claim for compensation.
Speak to our team of specialist medical negligence lawyers today for expert advice on the unique circumstances of your case to find out the realistic options you have.
While nobody should have to experience a DVT misdiagnosis, it is important to note that not every instance of DVT misdiagnosis may be considered negligent.
For example, if you received the inappropriate treatment for your DVT after it was diagnosed, or if the delay in your DVT diagnosis (due to an initial misdiagnosis where doctors missed obvious warning signs) caused you mental, physical, or financial difficulties, then this could be considered negligent.
If you believe that you, or someone close to you, experienced harm that could have been avoided if your healthcare team correctly recognised, diagnosed, and treated you for deep vein thrombosis, then you could be entitled to compensation.
Meanwhile, if this has happened to someone close to you who is currently unable to claim for compensation on their own, you may be able to make a claim on their behalf.
After the trauma of DVT misdiagnosis and its many potential consequences, taking legal action can feel like a daunting and isolating challenge.
But that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Understanding whether you could be entitled to compensation, how much you may be able to claim for and what you can expect your next steps to be can go a long way towards relieving you of some of this stress. As for the process of making your claim, we are right there with you.
And it all starts with just a simple phone call.
For one-on-one support from the no-win no-fee solicitors with decades’-worth of experience in supporting clients through the process of making a claim, get in touch with our experts today.
We are passionate about helping clients to seek appropriate justice and recompense, and our track record speaks for itself.
We work with clients across England and Wales, and we can offer you an initial consultation and a no win, no fee service if we think that you have good grounds for a case.
Our experienced DVT Misdiagnosis Solicitors act regularly for clients across Greater Manchester including Ashton, Bury, Bolton, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Middleton, Failsworth, Rochdale, Oldham, and Whitefield.
Sheldon Davidson Solicitors are a Lexcel accredited personal injury law firm. The Lexcel standard is only awarded by the Law Society to firms who meet the highest standards of practice management and customer service.
With Sheldon Davidson Solicitors in Manchester, you can be confident that your misdiagnosis claim is in safe hands.
Call us for free now using the number at the top of the page or complete the online contact form and a member of our team will get back to you.
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