Parkinson’s Awareness Week Highlights Parkinson’s Negligence
April 16, 2021
Parkinson’s Disease is a condition that occurs when the cells in the brain stop functioning correctly. People with the condition do not produce enough Dopamine, which affects their ability to control their movements. The condition is a degenerative one; meaning that the symptoms progress and worsen over time. Due to Parkinson’s being a degenerative condition, there is often negligence in the form of delays or misdiagnosis of the condition or treatment, and due to this, you may be able to make a claim for Parkinson’s negligence.
There are a range of symptoms of Parkinson’s, however, there are three main symptoms. These are tremors, slowness of movement, and muscle stiffness. Some of the other symptoms include:
- Balance problems
- Loss of smell
- Nerve pain
- Dizziness, blurred vision or fainting when moving
- Slight memory problems
- Dementia
Parkinson’s Negligence
Delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis are the two biggest types of Parkinson’s negligence we see. Research conducted by Parkinson’s UK has also found that over 25% of people living with the condition were originally misdiagnosed, almost half received treatment for the incorrect condition, with 36% receiving medication and 6% undergoing an operation or procedure unnecessarily. 6% of people underwent both surgery and incorrect medication. Some misdiagnoses are due to the symptoms being similar to other conditions, making it very hard for an initial diagnosis. However, if it is due to human error, then you may be able to make a claim.
Delays and Misdiagnosis
Delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis are two of the biggest examples of medical negligence that can happen with many conditions, including Parkinson’s. These delays can happen because of human error, and if this happens then you may be able to make a claim for medical negligence.
Misdiagnosed conditions can cause a patient to have delayed or incorrect treatment which can make their condition much worse than it would be had the mistake not occurred.
In the case of Parkinson’s, many of the people who took part in the research believe that their condition worsened as a result of the delays. Many of these people also state that they visited their GP at least three times before they were referred to a specialist.
Treatment Negligence
Unfortunately, delays or misdiagnosis of conditions can also lead top treatment negligence. This can include receiving the wrong treatment, or the treatment being delayed due to the diagnosis delays. If this has happened and it is due to human error, then you may be able to make a claim.
There may also be cases where people receive treatment that they do not need, or treatment that can make their condition worse. It can also, in the case of unnecessary surgery, add recovery time on to someone’s time receiving treatment for the correct condition, which can add to their suffering.
How we Can Help with Parkinson’s Negligence
Here at The Medical Negligence Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of medical negligence claims. This includes delays in diagnosis, treatment and misdiagnosis. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138761 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.