Failure to Diagnose Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a complex and potentially debilitating illness that requires prompt and accurate diagnosis to prevent severe health consequences. Unfortunately, doctors often attribute the symptoms of Lyme disease to other ailments or ignore them altogether and ultimately neglect to diagnose Lyme disease, causing patients to suffer unnecessary harm. The failure to diagnose Lyme disease is usually the result of negligence and as such, may be grounds for pursuing medical malpractice claims. If you or someone you love suffered injuries due to a physician’s failure to diagnose Lyme disease, you should speak to an attorney about your rights. The assertive Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group are committed to holding negligent healthcare providers accountable, and if we represent you, we will work diligently to help you seek the compensation you deserve.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. It is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Early symptoms often include fever, fatigue, headache, and a distinctive bullseye rash, but not all patients exhibit these classic signs. When left untreated, Lyme disease can progress to more severe stages, causing complications such as joint pain, neurological disorders, heart problems, and chronic fatigue. As such, a timely and accurate diagnosis is of utmost importance.

The failure to diagnose Lyme disease can lead to prolonged suffering and the development of chronic symptoms that are harder to treat. A missed or delayed diagnosis often occurs when medical professionals dismiss or misinterpret a patient’s symptoms, fail to order appropriate diagnostic tests, or neglect to consider Lyme disease as a potential diagnosis. This oversight can leave patients vulnerable to worsening health conditions, prolonged pain, and the psychological toll of untreated illness.

The failure to diagnose Lyme disease may amount to medical negligence, giving patients the right to seek legal recourse via medical malpractice claims.

Generally, as the harm doctors cause patients is usually inadvertent, a person harmed by medical malpractice typically must demonstrate that their healthcare provider was negligent. To do so under Maryland law, a plaintiff must demonstrate that a doctor-patient relationship existed, creating a legal duty for the defendant provider to offer care that meets the accepted medical standard. The standard of care refers to the actions a competent healthcare professional in the same field would take under similar circumstances.

Next, the plaintiff must show that the defendant breached this standard of care. In cases involving failure to diagnose Lyme disease, this breach could involve overlooking symptoms, failing to order necessary tests such as a Lyme disease blood test, or ignoring a patient’s medical history that could have indicated an increased risk of tick-borne illness.

The third element of proof involves causation, which means the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s breach directly caused their harm. For example, they would need to demonstrate that had the defendant correctly diagnosed Lyme disease, they would have received treatment that could have prevented their injury or reduced their suffering. Proving causation often requires expert testimony to explain the link between the provider’s negligence and the plaintiff’s damages. Finally, the plaintiff must establish they suffered harm.

A plaintiff who successfully demonstrates the defendant’s fault may be awarded compensation for their economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages encompass medical expenses for additional treatments, therapy, or medications required because of the delayed diagnosis. Lost income and diminished earning potential may also be included. Non-economic damages compensate for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life caused by the provider’s negligence.

If you or a loved were harmed by the failure to diagnose Lyme disease, you may be entitled to compensation, and it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney. At Arfaa Law Group, our experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys have the knowledge and experience necessary to handle complex medical negligence claims, and if you hire us, we will advocate aggressively on your behalf. Our office is based in Baltimore, and we represent individuals throughout Maryland in cases involving failure to diagnose Lyme disease and other forms of medical negligence. Contact us today at (410) 889-1850 or via our online form to schedule a free consultation.