Medical malpractice can take many forms, but one of the most common is misdiagnosis. Patients who are misdiagnosed do not receive the medical treatment they need and so, their condition becomes worse. Sometimes, patients do not survive the misdiagnosis and would have lived if their condition had been properly diagnosed. Doctors who misdiagnose their patients may also prescribe medication for a condition the patient does not have, which can cause patients to experience side effects and other harmful symptoms. If a doctor has misdiagnosed your condition and you became sicker, our West Palm Beach misdiagnosis lawyer can help you file a claim for financial compensation.
How Does Misdiagnosis Happen?
Misdiagnosis is an umbrella term that refers to any type of medical negligence that causes physicians and other healthcare professionals to improperly evaluate a patient’s current condition. Doctors are expected to take great care to ensure they provide the best care to patients. They must carefully listen to the symptoms the patient is experiencing, and they must also fully review a patient’s medical history before prescribing any type of treatment. Doctors must also know when to order certain tests, and what tests to order. They must also be able to accurately interpret any test result they receive.
When doctors fail to meet their legal duty to take the above precautions to keep patients safe, it is considered medical negligence. Medical negligence can result in someone becoming sicker, or suffering from a condition they did not have because they took unnecessary medication. Patients who have not been properly diagnosed due to medical negligence can file a claim against the doctor who diagnosed them, or the hospital where they received the incorrect diagnosis.
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What Conditions are Commonly Misdiagnosed?
Negligent doctors can misdiagnose any medical condition, but there are three that are much more likely to be misdiagnosed than others. These are infections, cancer, and vascular events. Vascular events include strokes, aortic aneurysms, and aortic dissections. Of all the cancers, breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer are the most common types that are misdiagnosed.
Cancer is often misdiagnosed because of improper communication. A doctor may notice a concerning shadow on a mammogram, but they may not tell the patient. Test results are not always available right away and so, over time, the doctor may simply forget. Or, a doctor may misinterpret the tests and not inform the patient they have cancer because they do not know. None of these are excuses for a misdiagnosis, as patients will become very hurt when they are not properly diagnosed. Injured patients can hold medical professionals liable when they act negligently and patients become hurt as a result.
Call Our Misdiagnosis Lawyer in West Palm Beach Now
If you have been harmed due to medical negligence, you are entitled to claim compensation. At Freidin Brown, P.A., our seasoned West Palm Beach misdiagnosis lawyer will handle every detail of your case, so you can focus on getting better while still obtaining the full settlement that is justly yours. Call us now or reach out to us online to schedule a free consultation.
