Perhaps someone close to you in Santa Fe or Albuquerque was misdiagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or a psychiatric disorder when in fact he or she had Lewy body dementia. There are more patients with LBD than there are patients with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and ALS combined, yet LBD is far from being widely known.
More about Lewy body dementia
More than 1.4 million Americans have this form of dementia, and experts say that the number is no doubt higher due to the alarming rate of misdiagnoses that occur. Misdiagnoses arise from a lack of clear knowledge about the disease.
For example, though men tend to have LBD more often than women, and though it primarily affects people over age 60, doctors cannot say who a “typical” LBD patient is, nor do they know how the condition is contracted. LBD can affect anyone, even the healthiest individuals and those who have the money for the best medical care. There is no cure for LBD.
Symptoms of LBD
Lewy bodies are protein deposits that develop in brain cells and consequently impair thinking and movement. Issues with thinking and with motor skills are the preeminent symptoms followed by depression, apathy, hallucinations, sleep disorders and changes in blood pressure. Usually, it’s some condition underlying LBD that kills patients, such as pneumonia or an infection.
Hiring a medical malpractice lawyer
If you or a loved one was harmed as a result of a misdiagnosis that was the result of medical negligence, then you may have a case under malpractice law. Pursuing a case and achieving a settlement are another matter, of course, so you may want a lawyer to provide an assessment and give you guidance and advice. The lawyer may be able to negotiate on your behalf, litigating if the other side refuses to pay out.
