Relevant Information about Medical Malpractice

We depend on hospitals and their staff to provide us with accurate and prompt diagnoses as well as proper treatments. Because medical malpractice can carry severe consequences for patients, these medical professionals must always provide the best care possible. When hospitals make diagnostic errors, health conditions may significantly worsen. Patients may also develop additional medical issues or suffer from wrongful death.

We secure recoveries for victims of misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. We can help determine when medical professionals are at fault, and ensure that victims are not responsible for the unnecessary medical expenses that the malpractice has caused.

How Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis Can Occur

Diagnostic errors are surprisingly common in the medical field. According to one study, up to 33 percent of physicians do not always notify patients of abnormal test results. Some other examples of diagnostic errors include:

• Incorrect diagnosis – misidentifying a condition
• Failure to diagnose – failing to identify a condition
• Delayed diagnosis – a common type of error that indicates failing to diagnose a condition promptly
• Failure to recognize complications – the medical professional fails to recognize factors that may complicate the condition, or does not inform the patient of these factors
• Failure to identify another condition – not diagnosing a related or unrelated condition that may be evident

Some of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions include aortic dissection, cancer, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, meningitis and appendicitis.

When Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis Indicate Medical Malpractice

If a medical professional makes a mistake that another professional acting with reasonable skill and care would have avoided, this negligent medical professional may have committed malpractice. Determining how he or she arrived at a specific diagnosis is crucial in determining whether the medical professional acted competently.

Sometimes diagnostic tests may give hospitals inaccurate results. In this case, the physician may not be at fault, but a lab technician or another individual could be responsible. This can occur if diagnostic equipment is defective or if an individual made a mistake, such as mixing up samples or using an improper procedure.

Helping Victims of Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis

Victims of medical malpractice can experience additional and potentially fatal conditions. Negligent medical professionals who misidentify medical issues may inflict significant harm on their patients. For years, our Columbia injury lawyers have worked with medical malpractice victims and their families to ensure they receive the recovery they deserve for their injuries. If you suffered from medical malpractice, contact our Columbia injury attorneys today by calling locally at (803) 834-7097 or toll free at (877) 276-0533.