Diagnosing medical conditions is a difficult task. Since many conditions have symptoms that are easy to miss or closely resemble other conditions, physicians may miss a condition or illness or mistake it for something else. A misdiagnosis can have devastating medical consequences, causing irreversible harm to a patient.
If you believe your condition worsened after a misdiagnosis, you may be eligible to recover compensation. When a doctor fails to perform due diligence when testing or reviewing symptoms, a medical misdiagnosis may amount to negligence and medical malpractice. Buttafuoco & Associates can help you determine whether you have a case during a free consultation at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
Misdiagnosis vs. Missed Diagnosis
First, it is important to note that there is a difference between a misdiagnosis and a missed diagnosis. A misdiagnosis is when a condition is mistaken for something else with similar or overlapping symptoms. This can lead to incorrect or unnecessary treatments. A missed diagnosis is when a patient receives no diagnosis and therefore receives no treatment. Both can be cases of medical negligence that a patient can seek compensation for through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Common Causes and Dangers of Medical Misdiagnosis
Many conditions have similar symptoms, so achieving the correct diagnosis requires the proper diagnostic tests and sound professional judgement. A misdiagnosis can occur when a doctor fails to perform adequate testing for your condition. The following are some common cases of misdiagnosis:
- Failure to take a complete patient history: Missing key medical or family background information can lead to overlooking the correct diagnosis.
- Incomplete or rushed physical exams: Often due to time pressures or staffing shortages, this can lead to overlooking symptoms or clinical signs.
- Misinterpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Medical professionals may make errors reading X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, or other lab results.
- Failure to order appropriate tests: Skipping necessary imaging, bloodwork, or other screenings can lead to the incorrect diagnosis.
- Poor communication between providers: This can lead to critical details being lost during referrals.
- Bias or assumptions: Sometimes medical providers dismiss dismissing symptoms based on age, gender, or weight.
- Overlapping symptoms: A provider may confuse one condition for another with similar symptoms.
A misdiagnosis leads to two major dangers:
- Allowing a disease or condition to progress untreated: This can have devastating outcomes, such as when a cancer is allowed to progress to a more dangerous, difficult-to-treat stage.
- Unnecessary treatments: When patients receive treatment for a condition they do not have, it can cause serious damage and have devastating side-effects.
Identifying a Misdiagnosis and Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
Once you are aware of a misdiagnosis, or if a loved one has passed away suspiciously, you should seek the help of a New York medical malpractice attorney. Your attorney can assist you in gathering evidence of the misdiagnosis including omitted or misread tests. They also have access to medical expert witnesses who can assess the extent of damage done by the improper treatment and delay of correct treatment and testify that your doctor failed in their standard of acceptable care for your condition.
Damages in a medical misdiagnosis case might include:
- Lost wages
- Medical expenses both for the wrongful treatment and correct treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Compensation for permanent disability
New Yorkers can rely on the medical misdiagnosis attorneys at Buttafuoco & Associates to guide them through the medical malpractice claims process and help them seek justice.
Call 1-800-NOW-HURT to get started with our seasoned medical malpractice team.