When we seek the help of a doctor, we expect to receive competent care. Unfortunately, that care is not always provided. Every year, thousands of patients suffer because healthcare providers fail to diagnose their medical condition properly. If you or a family member has been subjected to harm because of a missed diagnosis, you may be able to recover money damages through a medical negligence claim. Our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys understand how not receiving the right diagnosis can have devastating and long-term consequences for a patient’s life.
What is a Missed Diagnosis?A missed diagnosis, often referred to as failure to diagnose or delayed diagnoses, takes place when a medical professional fails to identify a medical condition at the time they are presented with it. In other words, a missed diagnosis describes a lack of diagnosis, typically leading to no treatment or inaccurate treatment. One example would be if a patient is told that the lump in her breast is benign, but later finds out that it is actually malignant. It is important to note the distinction between a misdiagnosis and a missed diagnosis: the former refers to a situation in which the doctor has diagnosed a person with the wrong medical condition whereas the latter refers to a situation in which the doctor has failed to diagnose the patient altogether.
Medical Malpractice Arising From a Missed DiagnosisMany malpractice lawsuits are the result of a missed diagnosis. A missed diagnosis on its own is not necessarily medical malpractice. Instead, a missed diagnosis must have an adverse outcome for the patient such as improper medical care, delayed treatment, or no treatment at all, which in turn leads to a worsening of the patient’s condition.
Medical malpractice is a legal claim that accrues when a healthcare provider departs from the standard of care in his or her field, thereby causing injury or death to a patient. The standard of care refers to the level of care that reasonably prudent doctor or medical professional would have provided under the same or similar circumstances. Put simply, medical malpractice occurs when the medical professional’s substandard care is the direct and proximate cause of the patient’s injury. In every medical malpractice case, the plaintiff has the burden to prove the following:
In the most serious cases, a missed diagnosis can have life or death consequences. In other cases, a missed diagnosis can cause the worsening of the medical condition, ultimately leading to lengthier and more expensive treatment. You should not have to bear the cost of a medical professional’s error, which is why a skilled medical malpractice lawyer can potentially help you seek the damages you may be entitled to in your case. Victims of medical malpractice can recover both economic and non-economic damages including medical expenses, pain and suffering, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and mental anguish.
Contact a Diligent Medical Malpractice Attorney in BaltimoreEven with all the medical advances that have been made, we still rely on medical professionals to diagnose patients correctly. When this does not happen, the consequences can be devastating for both the patient and his or her family. If you have suffered injury due to a missed diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our seasoned Baltimore lawyers can zealously advocate for your rights so that you can put the malpractice you have suffered behind you and move on with your life. We understand that this is a stressful time, which is why we will handle your case with the utmost compassion. For more information about your case, call us today at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.