Medical Malpractice Lawyer
One of the most consequential kinds of medical errors that affects Americans each year concerns the diagnostic process. Without a proper diagnosis, patients cannot seek the most effective forms of corresponding treatment for what ails them. As a result, their conditions may deteriorate, they may seek out unnecessary treatment, or they may suffer any number of other related harms. Most commonly, diagnostic errors occur in the forms of incorrect diagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and a failure to diagnose.
Incorrect Diagnosis
An incorrect diagnosis can lead patients to seek treatment that they do not need, treatment that is insufficient for the proper care of their conditions, or treatment that is excessive in comparison with the level of care that they require. At times, an incorrect diagnosis—like a delayed diagnosis or a missed diagnosis—can also lead patients to forego necessary treatment. Under any of these circumstances, patients may suffer profound and potentially lasting harm as a result of the error in question.
Delayed Diagnosis and Failure to Diagnose
When a diagnosis is delayed or missed entirely, a patient will likely have no way of knowing that they need to seek treatment for the condition(s) affecting their body. Their condition may deteriorate rapidly and may cause temporary, lasting, or permanent harm that could have been prevented had they been diagnosed properly.
Medical Malpractice Basics
As an experienced medical malpractice lawyer can explain in greater detail, grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit generally arise when a patient suffers harm after receiving substandard care from a healthcare provider. Both individual medical professionals and healthcare facilities may be held legally liable for causing this kind of harm. Diagnostic errors are often legally actionable as forms of medical malpractice.
Legal Options for Diagnostic Error Victims
If you suspect that any harm you have suffered was either caused or exacerbated by a diagnostic error, it is a good idea to explore your legal options with the assistance of an attorney who practices medical malpractice law. If it can be proven that you have suffered harm as a result of substandard care and/or an unreasonable medical error, you may be entitled to significant compensation at this time. At the very least, meeting with an attorney will help to ensure that you fully understand your rights and options under the law so that you can make informed decisions about your situation moving forward.
