What is the name of your state? OK
I was in an auto accident on 09/01/06 (Friday morning before Labor Day weekend.)
My face was swollen as if I'd been hit with a baseball bat (thanks to the airbag). I could only see shadows out of my left eye.
I was immediately driven to the emergency department and examined by an ED resident. He checked my visual acuity, visual field, and he did a SLIT lamp exam. He determined I did not have a hyphema or globe rupture, and that I only had a corneal abrasion. When the attending ED physician entered the exam room the ED resident relayed his findings to the attending. The ED attending never looked inside my eye. I asked if I should be seen at the eye institute here in Oklahoma City and he said "No. On the holiday weekend you would just be seen by a resident anyway. I think you'll be fine. Just follow up with Dr. _________ on Tuesday 09/05/06." He handed me an appointment card with this physician's name on it and a time to be at his office.
Tuesday - I arrive at the opthalmologist's office to be examined. My vision has not improved. I can only see shadows still. When the opthalmologist begins asking questions and doing a visual field exam he gets very concerned and states "the ED physician said this was just a corneal abrasion. I didn't even expect you to show up today". He takes a look inside my eye through the dilated pupil and immediately refers me to a retinal specialist. I was instructed to drive immediately (actually my wife drove) to the retinal specialist's office.
The retinal specialist was shocked that I was not referred to an opthalmologist on Friday morning. The specialist stated there was so much blood in the back of the eye it was difficult to visualize and was unsure if I had a retinal tear, detachment, or subretinal hemorrhage (SRH). He advised for and scheduled surgery on Thursday (09/07/06). It turns out I had a giant retinal tear, retinal detachment, and SRH. He repaired this but was not optimistic I would have a favorable outcome due to the time elapsed and extent of the injury.
I now have a permanent and significant (over 50%) visual field defect. I have researched this condition and keep finding that the amount of time (hours and days; not weeks) a retina is detached is directly related to the outcome and prognosis. The sooner the injury is repaired the better the outcome. In fact, the medical literature is overwhelmingly in favor of getting retinal tears and detachments repaired within 24-48 hours of injury.
My question .... Is there any liability on the ED physician and ED resident for my poor outcome and prognosis?
Thank you and sorry for the long post.
I was in an auto accident on 09/01/06 (Friday morning before Labor Day weekend.)
My face was swollen as if I'd been hit with a baseball bat (thanks to the airbag). I could only see shadows out of my left eye.
I was immediately driven to the emergency department and examined by an ED resident. He checked my visual acuity, visual field, and he did a SLIT lamp exam. He determined I did not have a hyphema or globe rupture, and that I only had a corneal abrasion. When the attending ED physician entered the exam room the ED resident relayed his findings to the attending. The ED attending never looked inside my eye. I asked if I should be seen at the eye institute here in Oklahoma City and he said "No. On the holiday weekend you would just be seen by a resident anyway. I think you'll be fine. Just follow up with Dr. _________ on Tuesday 09/05/06." He handed me an appointment card with this physician's name on it and a time to be at his office.
Tuesday - I arrive at the opthalmologist's office to be examined. My vision has not improved. I can only see shadows still. When the opthalmologist begins asking questions and doing a visual field exam he gets very concerned and states "the ED physician said this was just a corneal abrasion. I didn't even expect you to show up today". He takes a look inside my eye through the dilated pupil and immediately refers me to a retinal specialist. I was instructed to drive immediately (actually my wife drove) to the retinal specialist's office.
The retinal specialist was shocked that I was not referred to an opthalmologist on Friday morning. The specialist stated there was so much blood in the back of the eye it was difficult to visualize and was unsure if I had a retinal tear, detachment, or subretinal hemorrhage (SRH). He advised for and scheduled surgery on Thursday (09/07/06). It turns out I had a giant retinal tear, retinal detachment, and SRH. He repaired this but was not optimistic I would have a favorable outcome due to the time elapsed and extent of the injury.
I now have a permanent and significant (over 50%) visual field defect. I have researched this condition and keep finding that the amount of time (hours and days; not weeks) a retina is detached is directly related to the outcome and prognosis. The sooner the injury is repaired the better the outcome. In fact, the medical literature is overwhelmingly in favor of getting retinal tears and detachments repaired within 24-48 hours of injury.
My question .... Is there any liability on the ED physician and ED resident for my poor outcome and prognosis?
Thank you and sorry for the long post.