Posted in News on September 15, 2016
Whether you are completely unsure what is wrong or have a generally idea what is affecting your health and wellbeing, you likely will trust and rely on a doctor to determine what is plaguing you. And while doctor visits frequently result in successful diagnoses and treatment plans, this unfortunately doesn’t always occur. In fact, some patients in Montana and elsewhere are not properly diagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Such a situation can result in much harm to the health and overall wellbeing of the patient.
How are medical professional held liable for a misdiagnosis? First, it must be established that a patient was misdiagnosed. This can mean that the patient was diagnosed with the wrong ailment or disease and was given the treatment plan for this erroneous diagnosis. Such a medical mistake can cause the patient much harm because not only are they receiving the wrong treatment but also they are not receiving any treatment for the illness they haven’t been diagnosed for.
The failure to properly diagnose a patient for the possible causes for the symptoms the patient is currently presenting is a diagnostic error that could result in worsened conditions and even new conditions. Such a situation could require a patient additional medical treatment and future medical expenses.
If a doctor failed to conduct the proper tests, failed to dismiss certain symptoms and illnesses, complete a medical history check and conduct checkups on the bettering or worsening conditions, this could be considered medical malpractice. And if diagnostic errors led to the harm, injury or even death to a patient, there are recourses available.
A medical malpractice claim could help an injured patient recover compensation. This can help cover medical bills, lost wages and other related damages.
Source: Findlaw.com, “Failed/Erroneous Diagnosis and Treatment,” accessed Sept. 11, 2016