Missouri Medical Malpractice Settlement for Delayed Diagnosis

KANSAS CITY, MO, December 14, 2012 (Press-News.org) A negotiated Missouri settlement reached by attorney Robert D. Kingsland Jr., of Dempsey & Kingsland, P.C. recently resolved a medical malpractice case in which a perforated bowel went undetected following a gallbladder surgery.

The client, a retired but active man, underwent a laparoscopic gallbladder removal. In the hours following the surgery, he suffered from a distended abdomen, troubling fever, and high respiration and heart rate. The pain was intolerable requiring repeated doses of morphine.

A rapid assessment team reviewed his condition. Testing of his blood gases showed a critical level of lactate, which is often associated with sepsis. Even though the client's condition deteriorated rapidly, the surgeon who performed the procedure did not evaluate the client for eight hours despite five calls from the nurses who explained their concerns and relayed data.

When the surgeon did come to the client's room, he ruled out a bowel perforation. A second surgery did not start until approximately 30 hours after the client showed the initial symptoms. The client's condition was life threatening and he needed pressor drugs to restore blood pressure. A side effect of the drugs was reduced blood flow to the extremities, which caused gangrene and required amputation. The client spent five months in the hospital and needed several additional surgeries for abdominal infections.

While the surgeon claimed that a pulmonary infection was the cause for the decline, X-rays of the client did not support the claim. The failure to diagnosis the perforated bowel and operate within a 12-hour timeframe amounted to substandard care.

Attorney Robert Kingsland and the other attorneys at Dempsey & Kingsland, P.C., focus on helping those who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of others. They handle cases ranging from medical malpractice and nursing home negligence to motor vehicle accidents and truck collisions. The firm draws on its decades of experience to help the injured obtain the fair compensation they need and deserve.

To contact Robert Kingsland or any of the personal injury attorneys at Dempsey & Kingsland, P.C., call 816-421-6868 or visit www.dempseyandkingsland.com.