When you have symptoms of an illness that you believe is severe, it is important that you get seen by a doctor as soon as possible so that they can treat you and so that you can recover as quickly as possible.
However, when you have a long wait before you can see a doctor or you are diagnosed with a condition but you have to wait a long time before you get treated, this can obviously have an effect on the pain and suffering that you must endure, and also can mean that your condition progresses while you are waiting to be treated.
An example of delayed treatment
Take the example of a woman who was rushed to the emergency department and was suffering vaginal bleeding while losing a lot of blood. She was treated for her symptoms by receiving medication and a blood transfusion, but the cause was not known. To try to establish the cause, she received a chlamydia test that was positive. Because of delayed communication with a clinic and their lack of efficient process, she did not get treated for her severe infection until 26 days later. Despite the treatment, she still suffered a fever and is now at a higher risk of severe pelvic pain and infertility because of the delay.
Cases like these are present in all types of illnesses and infections, and it is unfortunate that it could have been made more efficient by basic protocol. If you have been in a situation where you believe that delayed action by medical professionals resulted in an advancement of your illness, you should look into the specifics of your case and into how the law applies.
Source: PSNet, “Delay in Treatment: Failure to Contact Patient Leads to Significant Complications,” accessed Dec. 06, 2017