Cleveland Medical Malpractice Attorney Advises on Diagnostic Errors June 30, 2012.

Air embolisms can occur whenever pressure forces gas or air into the blood stream, although common situations where an air embolism occurs include surgery or intravenous injections.

Air embolisms can have very serious consequences, depending on the size of the air bubble and the location of the bubble. If bubbles reach the brain or heart, for example, the consequences of an air embolism may include death. As such, it is very important for an air embolism to be treated properly, especially in emergency situations.

Unfortunately, sometimes physicians fail to diagnose an air embolism. The symptoms of an air embolism should be a clear tipoff to the physician that an air embolism exists.

The symptoms of an air embolism may include:

• shortness of breath,
• fatigue; and
• chest pain.

Failure to diagnose can give rise to a claim for damages if a reasonable doctor would have diagnosed the condition in the same position. The damages the doctor will be required to pay in a medical malpractice claim for failure to diagnose will compensate for the harm that occurred as a result of the delayed treatment. A Cleveland medical malpractice attorney will provide advice on failure to diagnose and on potential damages associated with the doctor’s lapse.