Failure to Conduct Testing

Proper diagnostic testing is a critical component of medical care that ensures patients receive accurate diagnoses and timely treatment, and patients trust healthcare providers to identify when testing is necessary to determine the cause of their symptoms and establish appropriate treatment plans. Unfortunately, mistakes and oversights can lead to the failure to conduct testing, allowing undiagnosed conditions to worsen or become life-threatening. If you sustained losses due to a failure to conduct testing, you may have grounds for pursuing a medical malpractice claim, and it is smart to talk to an attorney. The experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group are skilled at establishing that negligent healthcare providers should be held accountable for the harm they cause, and if you hire us, we will fight to help you seek a just result.

A failure to conduct testing occurs when a healthcare provider does not order necessary diagnostic tests to evaluate a patient’s condition adequately. Diagnostic tests, including blood work, imaging studies, biopsies, and other laboratory analyses, are essential tools that allow medical professionals to detect illnesses, monitor health, and prevent complications. When providers fail to order such tests, the results can be catastrophic. For instance, an undiagnosed cancer may progress to a later, untreatable stage, or an untreated infection can lead to sepsis. Similarly, failing to conduct testing for cardiac issues can result in undetected heart disease, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Patients harmed by a failure to conduct testing often suffer avoidable injuries or illnesses that lead to prolonged treatment, worsened prognoses, and significant emotional distress. Families may also face financial burdens due to additional medical expenses and the loss of income caused by delayed or incorrect diagnoses.

To hold a healthcare provider liable for a failure to conduct testing under Maryland law, a patient must demonstrate that the provider acted negligently, which requires them to establish four key elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. First, the plaintiff must show that the healthcare provider owed a duty to the patient. In the context of medical care, providers have a duty to offer treatment that meets the accepted standard of care, which is defined as the level of care that a reasonably competent medical professional in the same field would provide under similar circumstances.

Second, the plaintiff must prove that the provider breached this duty by failing to order necessary tests. For example, if a patient presented with symptoms indicative of a serious condition, such as chest pain or abnormal bleeding, and the provider neglected to conduct appropriate tests, this could constitute a breach of the standard of care. Next, the plaintiff must establish causation, which means proving that the failure to conduct testing directly caused or worsened the patient’s harm. Finally, the plaintiff must show that they suffered damages as a result of the provider’s negligence. Damages in medical malpractice cases may include medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

In Maryland, medical malpractice claims require expert testimony to substantiate the standard of care and demonstrate how the provider’s actions deviated from this standard. An expert witness, typically a medical professional in the same field as the defendant, will explain what tests a competent provider would have ordered and how the failure to conduct testing led to the plaintiff’s injuries.

A failure to conduct testing can have life-altering consequences for patients and their families. When medical professionals fail to uphold their duty to provide competent care, they should be held accountable for the harm they cause. If you suffered injuries due to a failure to conduct testing, you may be entitled to compensation, and you should talk to an attorney. The skilled Baltimore attorneys at Arfaa Law Group have extensive experience handling complex medical malpractice claims, and if we represent you, we will advocate vigorously on your behalf. Our office is located in Baltimore, and we proudly represent clients throughout the city. You can contact us at (410) 889-1850 or through our online form to schedule a consultation and discuss your case.