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CASUMPANG v. CORTEJOG.R. No. 171127 | March 11, 2015

FACTS:

On April 22, 1988, at about 11:30 in the morning, Mrs. Cortejo brought

her 11-ear ol! son, "!mer, to the "mergen# $oom o% the &an 'uan !e(ios )ospital *&'()+ be#ause o% !i%%i#ult in breathing, #hest pain,

stoma#h pain, an! %eer. herea%ter, she as re%erre! an! assigne! to(r. Casumpang, a pe!iatri#ian. At /:30 in the a%ternoon o% the same !a,(r. Casumpang, upon eamination using onl a stethos#ope, #on%irme!the !iagnosis o% ron#hopneumonia. Mrs. Cortejo imme!iatel a!ise!(r. Casumpang that "!mer ha! a high %eer, an! ha! no #ol!s or #oughbut (r. Casumpang merel tol! her that her sons bloo!pressure is justbeing a#tie an! remare! that thats the usual bron#hopneumonia, no#ol!s, no phlegm.

(r. Casumpang net isite! the %olloing !a. Mrs. Cortejo again #alle!

(r. Casumpangs attention an! state! that "!mer ha! a %eer, throatirritation, as ell as #hest an! stoma#h pain. Mrs. Cortejo also alerte! (r.

Casumpang about the tra#es o% bloo! in "!mers sputum. (espite thesepie#es o% in%ormation, hoeer, (r. Casumpang simpl no!!e! an!reassure! Mrs. Cortejo that "!mers illness is bron#hopneumonia.

 At aroun! 11:30 in the morning o% April 23, 1988, "!mer omite! phlegm

ith bloo! strea prompting the "!mers %ather to re4uest %or a !o#tor.5ater, Miran!a, one o% the resi!ent phsi#ians o% &'(), arrie!. &he#laime! that although aare that "!mer ha! omite! phlegm ith bloo!strea she %aile! to eamine the bloo! spe#imen. &he then a!ise! therespon!ent to presere the spe#imen %or eamination. herea%ter, (r.Miran!a #on!u#te! a #he#-up on "!mer an! %oun! that "!mer ha! alo-gra!e %eer an! rashes.

 At 3:00 in the a%ternoon, "!mer on#e again omite! bloo!. (r. Miran!a

then eamine! "!mers sputum ith bloo! an! note! that he asblee!ing. &uspe#ting that he #oul! be a%%li#te! ith !engue, (r. Miran!a#on!u#te! a tourni4uet test, hi#h turne! out to be negatie. (r. Miran!athen #alle! up (r. Casumpang at his #lini# an! tol! him about "!mers#on!ition. 6pon being in%orme!, (r. Casumpang or!ere! seeralpro#e!ures !one. (r. Miran!a a!ise! "!mers parents that the bloo!test results shoe! that "!mer as su%%ering %rom (engue )emorrhagi#7eer. (r. Casumpang re#ommen!e! "!mers trans%er to the C6, butsin#e the C6 as then %ull, the respon!ent, insiste! on trans%erring hisson to Maati Me!i#al Center.

 At 12:00 mi!night, "!mer, a##ompanie! b his parents an! b (r.

Casumpang, as trans%erre! to Maati Me!i#al Center. 6poneamination, the atten!ing phsi#ian !iagnose! (engue 7eer &tage that as alrea! in its irreersible stage. "!mer !ie! at ;:00 in themorning o% April 2;, 1988. )is (eath Certi%i#ate in!i#ate! the #ause o% !eath as )poolemi# &ho#

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E!"#RATIO:

1. $ES, Ca%&'(a)* +a% )*-*)/.

"en assuming that "!mers smptoms #ompletel #oin#i!e! ith the

!iagnosis o% bron#hopneumonia, e still %in! (r. Casumpang guilt o% negligen#e. >rong !iagnosis is not b itsel% me!i#al malpra#ti#e.@hsi#ians are generall not liable %or !amages resulting %rom a bona

%i!e error o% ju!gment an! %rom a#ting a##or!ing to a##eptable me!i#alpra#ti#e stan!ar!s. ?onetheless, hen the phsi#ians erroneous!iagnosis as the result o% negligent #on!u#t, it be#omes an ei!en#e o% me!i#al malpra#ti#e.

n the present #ase, ei!en#e on re#or! establishe! that in #on%irming

the !iagnosis o% bron#hopneumonia, (r. Casumpang sele#tielappre#iate! some an! not all o% the smptoms presente!, an! %aile! topromptl #on!u#t the appropriate tests to #on%irm his %in!ings. n sum, (r.Casumpang %aile! to timel !ete#t !engue %eer, hi#h %ailure, espe#iallhen reasonable pru!en#e oul! hae shon that in!i#ations o% !engueere ei!ent an!