Cauda Equina Syndrome is a medical emergency that can cause severe and permanent injuries if not quickly and properly diagnosed. Because surgery is needed to prevent further injuries, it is vital to get timely diagnosis and treatment. But not all medical professionals have experience with CES, resulting in negligence and misdiagnosis.
It is vital in the case of Cauda Equina Syndrome misdiagnosis that you get the help of a medical malpractice attorney. Lisa Levine is an expert in Medical Malpractice law and specializes in Cauda Equina Syndrome cases. She has more than 35 years of experience and can fight for you.
What Causes Cauda Equina Syndrome Injuries?
Most CES injuries are caused by a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose in a timely manner. When CES symptoms begin, they can be treated with proper, quick diagnosis. If not diagnosed soon enough, nerve injury and damage can occur. It is the nerve damage that causes long-term or permanent injuries.
Surgery is needed to stop permanent injuries. Untreated Cauda Equina Syndrome can cause:
- Permanent severe paint, discomfort and mobility issues
- Permanent loss of feeling in extremities, such as the feet
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- A need for permanent catheters or enemas
- Sexual dysfunction
- Permanent paralysis
It can be stressful and costly to treat and manage these injuries.
How Does a Cauda Equina Syndrome Misdiagnosis Happen?
For a condition that can cause such severe injuries, one has to wonder how it could be so often misdiagnosed. When symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome first show up, they often begin as severe back pain or bladder issues.
A doctor’s first thought may not be CES, but one of the many other conditions that have similar symptoms. These may include:
- Kidney infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Herniated discs
- Hematomas
- Sciatica
- Other nerve disorders
If the doctor does not suspect that you might have Cauda Equina Syndrome, tests may not be done right away. If tests are delayed, then diagnosis and treatment are also put off, which means permanent injuries may result. It is vital that CES be diagnosed and surgery performed as soon as possible. An MRI scan can show the condition and alert doctors to the need for prompt treatment.
What Can I Do if I Have Been Misdiagnosed?
In many cases, injuries that result from Cauda Equina Syndrome misdiagnosis are permanent. This leads to many medical bills, being unable to work, and pain and suffering. But in these cases, help is available to protect your legal rights.
A medical malpractice lawyer with experience in Cauda Equina Syndrome cases can help you get recompense for:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of earnings
- Other damages
Cauda Equina Syndrome misdiagnosis can leave patients in pain and unable to live a normal life. They face the burden of high medical bills and lost ability to work and earn income. Doctors, clinics and hospitals that do not properly or timely diagnose this condition should be held liable for the injuries caused.
Lisa Levine is a nationwide CES attorney specializing in Cauda Equina Syndrome cases. She has handled and consulted on more than 60 cases across the United States. She has helped clients in New Jersey, Utah, California, Wisconsin, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, New York and Texas.
In Florida, Lisa has helped clients all through the state, including in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Ocala. If you suffer injuries for misdiagnosed CES, call Cauda Equina Syndrome attorney Lisa Levine toll-free at 855-551-8060.
Recent Results in Cauda Equina Cases
Jane Doe v. Orthopedic Surgeon and Hospital – $1,000,000.00
Our client was a 63-year-old woman who went to the hospital for a laminectomy. This is a surgery in which doctors remove the back part of a vertebra. Soon after the procedure, she showed signs of CES, such as incontinence, bowel and sexual dysfunction. She was sent home 4 days later with a foli catheter.
Two days later, she came back with symptoms including a deficit in her ability to walk. She was diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) and operated on to remove a hematoma that had developed. Sadly, it was too late, and all of her symptoms are now permanent.
R.K. v. Hospital & University – $950,000.00
R.K. went to the ER with red flag symptoms linked to Cauda Equina Syndrome. R.K. was sent home and told to bed rest after a physician assistant student failed to do a proper evaluation. When later admitted to the hospital again, R.K. was immediately diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome and had emergency surgery. Because of the delayed diagnosis and treatment, R.K. now suffers from permanent injuries.
