When a doctor misdiagnoses a medical condition, the patient will receive the wrong medical treatment. This can lead to the patient being prescribed the wrong drugs, incorrect treatment for a non-existent medical condition, a delay in treatment for the current medical condition, and the possible escalation of the medical condition to something far worse; the patient may even die from a medical misdiagnosis. If the patient was injured due to the negligence of the doctor by misdiagnosing the medical condition, the patient may have a medical malpractice lawsuit.
A doctor’s misdiagnosis can occur from a variety of causes including an error in judgment, lack of sleep, stress, not paying adequate attention to the patient and the problem, or too many patients waiting to be treated and too small of a staff to handle the overload, such as the case can be for an overcrowded hospital emergency room.
Medical malpractice misdiagnosis examples:
Misdiagnosis of Cancer: Early diagnosis for many types of cancers is critical to treating the cancers so a patient can make a full recovery. With many technological advances in the medical field today, what once was untreatable may now be curable. A patient whose cancer was not diagnosed during early examination will lose a valuable opportunity to not only possibly cure the cancer, but eliminate long and agonizing future treatments as well. The patient might even die because of the misdiagnosis.
Treatable cancers that benefit from early detection and treatment include breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and non small cell cancer. However, there are other forms of cancers that will not necessarily benefit greatly from early detection and treatment, including some types of pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, and small cell cancer. For a medical malpractice case involving cancer misdiagnosis to be successful, the patient must suffer serious injuries or death that would not have occurred had the cancer been detected and treated in the early stages.
Diagnostic test errors: If the diagnostic equipment wasn’t functioning properly, if the equipment was incorrectly used by the medical staff, or if the doctor misinterpreted the results, the patient may receive the wrong diagnosis. If a patient is injured because of these types of mistakes, he or she may have a medical malpractice claim.
Stroke misdiagnosis: The failure of a medical professional to recognize the symptoms of a stroke or not run the proper tests can result in serious brain injury and nerve damage, and even death for the patient. The faster the diagnosis, the better the chance for the patient to make a full recovery. A stroke blocks the blood supply that provides oxygen to the brain, and the results can be paralysis, diminished ability to speak, diminished mental capacity, and a loss of motor skills.
Heart attack misdiagnosis: A misdiagnosis of a heart attack can result in permanent heart damage or death for the patient. A doctor can misdiagnose a heart attack or the warning signs for a heart attack as anxiety or digestion problems.
If a patient is complaining of chest pains, shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, fainting, or sometimes arm, back, or shoulder pain, these may be symptoms of a heart attack. The doctor should run tests to make sure these are not signs of a heart attack. Tests may include echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, stress tests, angiogram, coronary artery disease test, and cardiac enzyme test.
Misdiagnosis of a disease or infection: A misdiagnosis of a disease or infection can escalate into a serious injury or even death for the patient. A doctor’s misdiagnosis can result in the wrong medication prescribed, including the wrong antibiotic. One type of infection that can be misdiagnosed is bacterial meningitis which has similar symptoms of the flu, including high fever, headache, and a stiff neck. Bacterial meningitis, which differs from viral meningitis, and is far more dangerous, is an inflammation of the spinal cord and brain that develops quickly and might even kill the patient if not detected and treated promptly.
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or died due to misdiagnosis by a doctor or medical facility, you may have a medical malpractice lawsuit. Contact the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel & Associates for a free consultation. Dr. Fagel is a licensed medical doctor and a top medical malpractice lawyer.
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