$2.5M Maryland Medical Malpractice Verdict to Family of Man Who Died After Suffering Hemorrhagic Shock Following Doctor’s Failure to Diagnose

A jury has awarded the family of Lawrence Dixon $2.5 million for his Maryland wrongful death that was a result of Montgomery County medical malpractice. Dixon, 59, died on May 17, 2007 two days after he suffered a pelvic fracture during a fall accident.

According to the family’s Montgomery County wrongful death case, Dr. David Harding neglected to diagnose during an internal exam that the Lawrence man was bleeding internally. Signs his primary care physician should have noted were his failure to produce urine in 24 hours, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and loss of lucidity. The plaintiffs say that because of this failure to diagnose, Dixon died from multiple organ failure.

Harding’s attorneys disputed these allegations, claiming that Dixon died from taking kayexalate, which is a drug that lowers high potassium levels. They said the medication cut off Dixon’s oxygen when it directly entered his lungs.

Of the $2.5 million wrongful death verdict, $1 million each will go to Dixon’s estate and his wife for non-economic damages. His kids get $250,000 each. However, because of Maryland’s non-economic damages cap, the total will likely be reduced to $812,500.

Failure to Diagnose

Failure to properly diagnose a patient’s condition can cause devastating consequences for a patient, whose life might have been saved or who could have avoided more invasive and painful treatments had he/she been diagnosed or treated right away. Failure to diagnose can occur when a doctor misses a diagnosis, misdiagnoses the condition, or doesn’t immediately identify the health condition.

You want to work with an experienced Montgomery County personal injury law firm that knows how to successfully handle Maryland medical malpractice cases.

$2.5M awarded in medical malpractice case, The Daily Record, August 14, 2011
Medical Malpractice, Nolo

More Blog Posts:
Maryland Birthing Malpractice: Brachial Plexus Injuries During Delivery Can Cause Permanent Damage, Maryland Accident Law Blog, July 26, 2011
Staff Was Inattentive on The Night of Patient Murder at Jessup Psychiatric Hospital, Says Maryland Health Investigators, Maryland Accident Law Blog, February 22, 2011
Washington DC Medical Malpractice: Most Doctors Will Be Sued by Age 65, Says New England Journal of Medicine, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, August 19, 2011