Parents wait to see if son’s death was from failure to diagnose

A family is grieving the loss of their teenage son after he died during a basketball game. Purportedly, he had received a sports physical, but it is unclear whether a serious condition was overlooked. While many Massachusetts residents may have been a victim of a doctor’s failure to diagnose, it is tragic when a mistake leads to the death of a loved one.

The parents may have to wait several months before the final report is completed on what caused their 17-year-old to collapse and die. He was given clearance to play after undergoing the health examination. However, a doctor who was interviewed described the examination as a screening rather than a yearly physical. The students are given an assessment to check for major health issues; however, it is not considered an in-depth examination.

There are athletes who are cleared to participate in school sports and later develop full-blown complications. Some are now questioning whether these sports exams go far enough to truly evaluate the health of these children. At this time, the medical examiner stated that the senior may have suffered a sudden cardiac event, but it is not known if the condition was pre-existing.

The parents may have to wait another 180 days to learn if their loved one died as a result of a missed heart-related condition. Other Massachusetts families may have suffered their own tragic loss as a result of a health provider’s failure to diagnose. These families are entitled to file a medical malpractice complaint against the medical provider who was trusted to restore their health and instead compounded pain and suffering. If enough evidence points to negligence resulting in greater harm, a civil court may award compensation to alleviate the financial harm sustained.

Source: wrdw.com, “Physicals could catch certain heart problem hints“, Jorge Lopez, Oct. 15, 2014