Failure to Diagnose Cauda Equina Syndrome

Information about Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) involves damage or compression of the cauda equina, which is a bundle of nerves located at the lower end of a person’s spinal cord. Injury to these nerves can result in impaired function throughout a person’s lower body. In some cases, CES can even result in paralysis. Fortunately, if a medical professional is able to correctly diagnose CES, a person’s condition can often be treated effectively. Prompt diagnosis and treatment medical is essential to someone with CES. If you or a loved one have been harmed due to failure to diagnose CES, it is critical that you speak with an experienced attorney who knows how to make sure that you obtain the compensation you deserve.

The Symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome

There are numerous symptoms associated with CES, but some of the most common include the following:

• Loss or impairment of bowel or bladder function.
• Numbness or weakness in the buttocks, feet, genitals, legs, or pelvic region.
• Severe pain in the buttocks, feet, genitals, legs, or pelvic region.

Medical Protocol for Cauda Equina Syndrome

If a person begins to display any of the symptoms listed above, it is vital that he or she is taken to an emergency room promptly. If medical professionals notice these symptoms but fail to screen for CES, a medical malpractice case is likely. It is important that the medical staff ask the right questions when screening for CES, which include whether a person’s bladder has been functioning normally, whether the person has experienced any numbness or strange sensations in their buttocks or groin area, whether the person has experienced loss of feeling in the genitals, and whether the individual has encountered any difficulties with his or her bowels.

The Causes of Cauda Equina Syndrome

CES occurs when the spinal canal narrows and can be caused by a variety of factors including, but are not limited to, the following:

Common Defenses to CES Malpractice

There are several common defenses that medical professionals raise in CES malpractice cases. First, medical professionals often argue that the harm was inevitable even if the patient had received appropriate care. Second, medical professionals often argue that the rare nature of CES makes it impossible to diagnose.

Contact a Skilled Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you have been harmed medical malpractice in any way, including cases in which a medical professional failed to diagnose CES, you likely have a strong medical malpractice claim. The legal counsel at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan focuses on helping victims impacted by medical malpractice. For over 35 years, we have dedicated our careers to helping people who have been impacted in this way. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation during which time our legal counsel can discuss the various available strategies to obtain the compensation you deserve.

We offer a free, no-obligation legal consultation to help you understand your rights and the value of your case.

Our medical malpractice trial lawyers assist clients throughout all of Massachusetts including, but not limited to, those in the following counties, cities and towns: Plymouth County, Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Westport, Dartmouth, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.