Northeast Ohio Referral Failure Lawsuits
Initial medical symptoms are usually first presented to one's primary care physician (also known as a family doctor or general practitioner). Although many family doctors are skilled in many different areas of medicine there are certain circumstances when serious harm to the patient is caused based upon the general physician's failure to refer the patient.
Failure to make necessary referral cases usually arise in the context of rare or complex conditions requiring treatment by a specialist. However, they can also arise in situations where the patient's medical condition is clear and simple to diagnose, but there is oversight by the family doctor.
Failure to refer can cause the following types of harm:
- Unnecessary pain and suffering
- Additional medical expenses
- Death or permanent disability
- Surgical intervention
Failure to refer cases can arise from a family doctor's:
- Failure to take or proper evaluate a patient's medical history
- Failure to obtain certain diagnostic studies or blood work
- Failure to timely screen for cancer
- Treating conditions outside their area of expertise
If you or a loved on has been harmed and you suspect that it may have been as a result of a general practitioner's failure to refer, please contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
