A jury has awarded over $1 million to the estate of a deceased man from Vineland, New Jersey after his friend filed a medical malpractice suit against his doctor. The man's friend accused the doctor of providing an incorrect diagnosis after the man died from a pulmonary embolism just 24 hours after he was told he just had a virus.

The Vineland man was not feeling well in September 2004 and said he felt pain in his chest. He also complained of shortness of breath, and his symptoms were bad enough that he went to the emergency room. However, he was told by the doctor accused in the medical malpractice suit that his condition was merely due to a virus.

The man's condition rapidly worsened that night, to the point that he felt it necessary to draw up a will, naming his friend as the executor of his estate. For a patient to be in such a bad condition that he recognizes he must hastily put together a will to protect his estate seems to indicate the doctor did a very poor job diagnosing the man's illness. The man passed away the next day on route to the hospital.

When a doctor provides a patient with poor information or an incorrect diagnosis, permanent complications can arise. The patient may become disfigured, seriously harmed or, in this case, suffer a fatal condition.

It is up to nurses, doctors or any medical staff member to provide the most complete and thorough diagnosis possible to a patient. They must meet high standards to assure our wellbeing and when there is a failure to meet these expectations, patients can pursue legal action for medical negligence.

Source: News of Cumberland County, "Vineland man's estate awarded $1.065 M in malpractice case," Jason Laday, Jan. 31, 2012