Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis - Medical Negligence

Despite all our advances in medical technology over the decades, there are still times when various physicians or other medical practitioners simply fail to do their job as sufficiently as they might, or do not pay the patient as much attention as necessary in order to properly diagnose a problem or illness. These failures can have harmful, even deadly consequences, and can give you plenty of reason to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

A misdiagnosis is when a medical practitioner does not offer the correct diagnosis for an injury or illness, declaring it as something different or informing the patient that there is nothing wrong at all. This can mean a worsening of the condition or even a prescription for incorrect and useless drugs which have the potential to do further harm.

A delayed diagnosis is similar to a misdiagnosis, but is more closely related to when an illness or disease is more curable at an earlier time, such as cancer. Cancer can sometimes be removed or treated at a very early stage, leaving the patient healthy for the rest of his or her life. A delayed diagnosis can mean the cancer is given a chance to take hold and do much more damage before it is caught.

Both misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can leave a patient much worse than before, and can be cause for a medical malpractice lawsuit. These can occur when a physician does not listen to his or her patients’ complaints, rely too heavily on certain factors (such as age for breast cancer), interpret lab tests and results incorrectly, fail to order certain diagnostic tests such as x-rays, do not refer a patient to a specialist despite the patient’s symptoms, or they do not rule out certain diseases that can be treated early on.

Any time a physician does these things, it can indicate malpractice and you may have a lawsuit on your hands. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis does not have to occur just in a doctor’s office. These problems can also occur in dentist offices, emergency rooms, delivery rooms, or anywhere else that medical care is given.

If you feel that your physician has failed to give you appropriate care and a correct diagnosis, contact a personal injury attorney to see if you have a case for medical malpractice.