Kentucky Resident Sues Vanderbilt University Medical Center for Malpractice

By Thomas Greer | June 25, 2014

When you undergo medical treatment in a hospital setting, you may expect that there will be more than one medical professional who is responsible for providing you with the care that you need. You may also expect that all of the medical professionals who are involved in your care and treatment are in close communication with each other, so that they can ensure that you get the care that you need.

Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Sometimes, there are lapses in communication, misunderstandings, or miscommunications between the various doctors and other medical personnel who are responsible for a patient’s care. Sometimes, these miscommunications result in errors that can have serious consequences for the patient. In one such situation, a Kentucky man alleges that he lost his foot because of a miscommunication between doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

In September of 2010, Charles Anthony Fowler was injured in a car accident. His injuries included severe damage to his right foot. Doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center performed an operation on his foot which was intended to restore blood flow to it. The surgery appeared to be a success, and Fowler went home.

On September 29 of 2010, Mr. Fowler returned to the emergency room at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He had blisters on his right foot, and his foot and toes were discolored. He also had a high fever. Dr. Raynor, a physician, examined Fowler’s right foot. After his examination, Dr. Raynor gave orders to readmit Fowler to the hospital, where the Orthopedic Trauma Service was to care for him.

Fowler was readmitted to the hospital, but he was discharged quickly. When he was discharged, he told medical center staff that he did not feel as though he should be going home, and that he felt that there had been some kind of mistake as to when he should leave. Despite his plea, he was sent home.

A few days later, on October 3, Fowler returned to the emergency room. His foot was in very bad condition, and the doctor who examined it said that it appeared as though it would not be able to be saved. Fowler was informed that his condition had deteriorated to the point where it would be necessary to amputate his foot, and the amputation was performed.

It is possible that Mr. Fowler could have avoided losing his foot had he been kept in the hospital for a longer period of treatment and observation following his admission to the emergency room on September 29 of 2010. He had even tried to bring the communication error to the attention of medical center staff, but they did not respond. Potentially, other patients have experienced situations where they have noticed an error in communication, they have tried to correct it to no avail, and serious harm has resulted. If you are undergoing medical treatment and something happens that does not seem to be in accordance with what your doctor had stated would be your plan of treatment, mention it to your care providers so that the mistake, if there is one, can be corrected.

If you or someone that you love has been harmed by a miscommunication amongst medical professionals, the experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC are here to help. We believe that health care professionals must be held responsible for their negligent or wrongful actions, and that the victims of negligence or wrongdoing are entitled to caring and compassionate counsel. To learn more, call us at 901-680-9777 to schedule a time to discuss your case.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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