When a person goes to the emergency room complaining of excessive coughing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, leg pain and/or dizziness, or if a surgical patient shows these same symptoms, it should put physicians on high alert about the possibility of a pulmonary embolism.

For those unfamiliar with a pulmonary embolism, it is essentially when a blood clot breaks loose, travels through the bloodstream, and ultimately becomes lodged in a location where it impedes the flow of blood to and from the lungs.

As potentially deadly as this condition can prove to be, the good news is that physicians actually have a variety of diagnostic tools at their disposal to verify their suspicions of a possible pulmonary embolism, including imaging tests, lung screenings and even basic blood tests.

Furthermore, they also have a variety of time-tested treatments at their disposal, including anticoagulants, thrombolytics and catheters, all of which can neutralize the threat of a pulmonary embolism.

Despite this reality, physicians often misdiagnose or fail to diagnose pulmonary embolisms. Indeed, in the hectic atmosphere of the emergency room, it’s not uncommon for those suffering from the otherwise telltale warning signs of a pulmonary embolism to be diagnosed with something completely off the mark and sent home without having undergone any sort of testing.

It’s imperative for people to understand that if a physician’s failure to properly treat a pulmonary embolism has caused them significant harm or the loss of a loved one that they do not have to sit idly by and suffer this grave injustice.

At Richards & Richards, LLP, our attorneys have seen firsthand the devastation that can result from an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed pulmonary embolism, and understand how victims can feel fearful about the prospect of pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

However, they can help alleviate these fears by answering questions and explaining how the law works. Furthermore, they can conduct a comprehensive investigation and, if necessary, build a strong case outlining what went wrong and why.

Please visit our website to learn more about how we can help in misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism cases.