Home > Research Legal Advice > Medical Malpractice > Staph Infection was misdiagnosed for 9 months by PCP. I was then hospit...
Asked 5 months ago - Springfield, NJ
FlagFor 9 months in 2010, my PCP misdiagnosed the boils I was coming to him for treatment. He never lanced or took biopsy or performed any tests. Every month, he would prescribe me Amoxicillan which just masked the problem. On 2/1/2011 , I then went to another doctor and showed him the pharmacy prescription printout showing each month for 9 months what the PCP prescribed along with my then blown up painful left side of my face and I was immediately admitted into JFK for 1 wk & diagnosed with full blown MRSA. I have scarring on my face in 3 places from this misdiagnoses and other ailments that I suffered as a result of the PCP's misdiagnoses. Would I have a case for malpractice?
It sounds like you have a potential med mal case. As long as your treatment has been recorded by your doctor. I would highly suggest talking to a med mal attorney that is licensed in New Jersey as soon as possible. Time is always of the essence in these types of matters. Make sure you seek out an attorney to protect your rights. Your county bar associations as well as this website. can always help you find an attorney.
I think accepted standards of care probably required him to culture something because obviously the infection was resistant to the bacteria that you were contending with if it lasted nine months. The question will be whether you have a financially viable medical malpractice case. You may, but I would need to know more about your damages to know for sure.
A PCP practices under a limited scope although they are exposed to all areas of medicine when they attend medical school, they have the ability to specialize by become Board Certified in a particular area. Your PCP should have referred you to a Board Certified Dermatologist. Additionally, prescribing any form of antibiotic for extended period was a Huge risk for developing a Super infection. The fact that he never explored the cause of you having developed these boils is another issue because MRSA is known to start as a boil. MRSA is also know to spread rapidly. Rule of thumb for skin Boils is NEVER to pop it or lance it: Skin boils need to drain, and most will burst and drain on their own. Sometimes a Board Certified Dermatologist will need to lance and drain the boil to allow it to heal. This is not a do-it-yourself skill nor is it a general practice of a PCP. If a Boil is "Lanced" and it is Done incorrectly or with contaminated tools, lancing will result in a bigger boil or a spreading infection.
I am very concerned that your PCP went beyond the scope of his usual day to day practice when he lanced your boils without conservative measure taken first like prescribing a topical antibiotic cream and keeping a dressing over the boil and then referring you to a Board Certified Dermatologist for follow up care. I am also concerned that your PCP may have potentially created a Bigger problem when he chose to "lance" the boil and without more information as to the sterility of the tools he may have used or without knowing if he did create a sterile field and did he isolate the area so as to conceal the drainage and be sure not to allow it to contaminate the other area of skin is all the things that a knowledgeable Medical malpractice lawyer would need to know and perhaps you have most, all, or some of those answers and additionally your medical records from that office procedure when he "lanced" the boils must state the technique he used while performing that office procedure. MRSA has several strains and all are troublesome and very painful and you also were exposed to an antibiotic for an extended period which can often kill off important bacteria and leave you at risk for other health issues.
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