GP Appendicitis Claims
If your GP failed to refer you for the symptoms of appendicitis, you could be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation. Contact us today for more information.
Recognising appendicitis
Appendicitis can be a difficult condition to diagnose, as the symptoms are very similar to other, more minor conditions. Appendicitis is commonly confused with illnesses such as a urinary tract infection or gynaecological issues.
For this reason it is essential that a patient with the symptoms of appendicitis is tested for a variety of conditions. This will ensure the correct diagnosis is obtained, and will prevent a patient with acute appendicitis being discharged without the necessary treatment.
Tests should include a urine test, to check for a bladder infection, and a blood test, to check for a raised CRP count. Women may also be given a pelvic examination and a pregnancy test to rule out gynaecological issues.
If these tests point towards a possible diagnosis of appendicitis, a patient should be urgently referred to hospital.
GP failure to refer appendicitis patient
Unfortunately, however, a GP will not always refer a patient with appendicitis. Instead a GP will misdiagnose a patient's condition and discharged them – either with a course of medication or with no treatment whatsoever.
If a patient does indeed have appendicitis, this misdiagnosis will be extremely dangerous. This is because appendicitis is a medical emergency, meaning it must be treated urgently if serious complications are to be avoided.
If there is a delay in surgical intervention, the appendix will fill with pus, becoming increasingly large in size. Eventually the appendix will burst – something which is known as a ruptured or perforated appendix.
A perforated appendix is very problematic as the pus will spill into the abdominal cavity. This will infect the lining of the abdomen (called the peritoneum), leading to a severe infection called peritonitis. This will make a patient critically unwell.
Appendicitis claims
If you have suffered a ruptured appendix because your GP failed to refer you to hospital, you could be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation.
Any reasonably competent General Practitioner should be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of appendicitis, and know when to refer a patient with these symptoms. A failure to do so will amount to a substandard level of medical care.
To find out more about claiming compensation for appendicitis, please get in touch with us today to speak to a solicitor.
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