Neurologist Misdiagnoses Patient and Prescribes Incorrect IV Therapy

Case Overview

This case takes place in Missouri and involves a patient who on presented to a neurologist with complaints of numbness, pins and needles, and burning on the bottom of the feet. The patient was diagnosed with polyneuropathy by the defending physician on that visit. Eight months later, the physician prescribed the patient intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, the indication for which was demyelinating peripheral neuropathy. Over the course of the eight months after the initial visit, the physician’s diagnosis of the plaintiff’s condition reportedly continued to be polyneuropathy, for which he prescribed oral medications as well as IVIg therapy, which the plaintiff continued to undergo on a monthly basis. Up until that point, the patient’s condition had not improved and instead, had gradually worsened so the physician abruptly discontinued IVIg treatment without weaning the patient off it. The patient is now suffering from serious and permanent injuries including numbness and tingling, pain and weakness in both lower extremities, unsteady gait, tremors, fall, fatigue, malaise, and difficulty sleeping. The patient alleges this was caused by the physician failing to diagnose the patient’s condition in addition to properly monitoring and treating the condition.