Failure To Diagnose Kidney Failure
If doctors have failed to diagnose you with kidney failure, even though you sought medical assistance for your health complaints, you could be entitled to compensation. To begin your claim, be sure to contact a solicitor as soon as possible.
Diagnosing kidney failure
The kidneys filter waste products and other toxins from our blood. If they lose function, these toxins will build up in the body and serious complications will ensue. It is therefore very important for kidney failure to be diagnosed without delay, or the affected individual will become extremely unwell.
Kidney failure can either be acute (whereby the loss of renal function is very quick) or chronic (whereby the loss of renal function is gradual). Both are associated with a series of symptoms that indicate poor kidney function. These include:-
- Weight loss with poor appetite;
- Swollen hands, feet and ankles due to water retention;
- Shortness of breath;
- Extreme fatigue;
- Increased urinary frequency;
- Nausea;
- Muscle cramps;
- High blood pressure;
- Itchy skin.
Anyone displaying these symptoms should undergo further testing to assess how well their kidneys are working. This will involve blood and urine tests, and may also include a scan or kidney biopsy.
Failing to diagnose kidney failure
Occasionally a misdiagnosis will be made when a patient initially presents, as kidney failure can be mistaken for other conditions such as high blood pressure, especially in the early stages. However, if a patient continues to suffer symptoms and continually returns to their GP with health problems, steps should be taken to make a diagnosis.
If medical professionals fail to accurately diagnose kidney failure despite a patient displaying the typical symptoms, questions must be raised over the level of medical care provided. Indeed, it will be expected that a reasonably competent doctor would recognise the signs of poor kidney function and arrange further investigations. A failure to do so will represent a substandard level of care. Anyone injured as a result will subsequently be entitled to claim compensation for the pain, suffering and financial loss they have incurred.
Claiming for medical negligence
If you would like to discuss making a medical negligence claim against your GP or NHS Trust, you need to speak to a solicitor who deals in this area of the law. A medical negligence solicitor will be able to advise whether doctors should have diagnosed your kidney failure at an earlier date, and whether a timely diagnosis would have prevented you from additional pain and suffering.
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Early legal assistance can be vital so please contact us if you would like to discuss your situation. Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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