Internal bleeding can become life-threatening when a medical provider fails to identify it quickly. You may have gone to an emergency department after a crash or sudden illness, only to learn later that blood was collecting inside your body. Internal bleeding diagnosis delays in Orlando may support a medical malpractice claim when a provider’s failure to act with reasonable care causes additional injury.
Our delayed diagnosis lawyers could review the medical team’s response and any failure to order appropriate testing. At Colling Gilbert Wright, also known as The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers, we handle serious medical malpractice claims with a team-based approach, and other attorneys often refer us difficult cases, trusting our preparation and readiness to go to trial.
How Can Medical Providers Miss Internal Bleeding?
Internal bleeding does not always produce an obvious external wound. Symptoms may include:
- Worsening abdominal pain
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- A rapid heart rate
- Falling blood pressure
A patient’s history can also signal elevated risk after trauma or invasive procedures.
When practitioners do not promptly diagnose internal bleeding, our lawyer in Orlando may examine how closely the team followed the standard of care. Potential failures include misreading a CT scan or overlooking declining hemoglobin levels. A disappointing result itself is not enough to establish malpractice. Under Florida Statutes § 766.102, the evidence must show that a reasonably careful provider would have acted differently and that the delay caused additional harm. We work with qualified medical professionals to determine whether earlier intervention likely would have improved the outcome.
The Harm a Delayed Internal Bleeding Diagnosis Causes
A delay can allow blood loss to continue until the body no longer receives enough oxygen. Patients may develop hemorrhagic shock or organ damage, and some require emergency surgery or intensive care. In severe cases, the delay may cause wrongful death.
If a provider delayed diagnosing internal bleeding in Orlando, our attorney could pursue compensation for the additional losses. Recoverable damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- The cost of future care
- The family’s claim if there is a preventable death
Our firm has recovered substantial results for malpractice victims, although past results never predict an outcome.
Evidence and the Pre-suit Claim Process
These cases often turn on a detailed timeline. We compare the patient’s vital signs and imaging against the nursing notes and check whether staff responded appropriately as the condition changed. In Orlando, our team may identify every provider whose conduct contributed to the delayed diagnosis, from an emergency physician who did not order testing to a radiologist who missed visible internal bleeding.
State law requires specific steps before a lawsuit may proceed. Under Fla. Stat. § 766.203, the claimant must complete a presuit investigation and obtain a corroborating medical opinion that reasonable grounds exist for the claim. Fla. Stat. § 766.106 also requires presuit notice to prospective defendants and provides a screening period before suit.
Legal Deadlines for Medical Malpractice Cases
Medical malpractice deadlines can be complicated because the date of the negligent act may differ from when you discovered the harm. Under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, a medical malpractice action generally must begin within two years after you discovered or should have discovered the injury, subject to a four-year statute of repose. Because a delayed diagnosis may not surface until the internal bleeding condition worsens, we in Orlando evaluate the timeline early and complete the presuit process on time.
Call Our Lawyer in Orlando for Help With a Delayed Internal Bleeding Diagnosis Claim
Internal bleeding diagnosis delays in Orlando can leave you facing emergency treatment or the loss of someone close to you. You deserve a clear explanation of what happened and whether a preventable error worsened the outcome.
Contact us at Colling Gilbert Wright for a free consultation. We charge no fees or costs unless we recover compensation, and we may take your case to trial if we do not receive a fair resolution.