Medical professionals in New Mexico are held to a high standard of care. Although it is accepted that the results of medical treatment are not always what was wished for, doctor errors and negligence are unacceptable. Proper diagnosis is the start of successful medical treatment, and if further tests are not ordered when required, the consequences can be life-changing or worse.
After two weeks of hearing testimony and approximately four hours of deliberation, a jury in another state recently ruled against a hospital. The case involved a patient who accused the hospital of negligence and failure to properly diagnose and timely treat his condition. According to court documents, the plaintiff visited the defendant’s emergency room in June 2011 because he was experiencing a tingling sensation in his left arm and pain in his neck.
The complaint states that a cardiologist treated the plaintiff and held him overnight. However, his condition worsened when he became feverish and struggled to walk and also lost the ability to urinate. He was sent to another hospital where surgery was performed, but, ultimately, it was too late and he ended up being paralyzed from below his chest. The jury awarded him almost $12 million for medical expenses — past and future — lost income and other noneconomic losses. Furthermore, his wife was also awarded compensation for loss of consortium.
Life and the quality of it are valuable and must be honored. New Mexico residents who believe that their quality of life has been compromised by doctor errors or other medical negligence are entitled to pursue financial relief. Such wrongdoers can be held liable for any harm caused, and victims retain the right to file medical malpractice claims in a civil court.