Misdiagnosis is the Most-Common Form of Medical Malpractice. Let a Tallahassee Misdiagnosis Lawyer Help. 

What if you went to the hospital with a serious injury and the doctor sent you home? What if you received a diagnosis that you subsequently learned was incorrect? What if saw your doctor regularly for years before one day discovering that you had an advanced form of cancer? While these occurrences may sound unthinkable to most people, the reality is that these types of diagnostic errors are alarmingly common. In fact, they are the single most-common form of medical malpractice. Our Tallahassee misdiagnosis lawyer regularly represents clients who are suffering due to severe diagnostic mistakes.

Understanding the Three Types of Misdiagnosis

In Florida, Misdiagnoses can be broadly characterized in three different categories. Each category involves a form of medical malpractice, and all misdiagnoses carry the potential for severe medical implications.

1. Failure to Diagnose

The simplest form of misdiagnosis involves failing to diagnose a patient’s medical condition. This can result from a variety of different factors, from failing to conduct an adequate physical examination to failing to order necessary tests or misinterpreting the patient’s scans.

2. Delayed Diagnosis

When an accurate diagnosis is made too late, this is referred to as a “delayed diagnosis.” Oftentimes, patients will be sent home without treatment only to continue to experience symptoms and return days, months or years later to finally receive an accurate diagnosis.

3. Incorrect Diagnosis

A third form of misdiagnosis involves diagnosing a patient with a condition that he or she does not actually have. This can be extremely dangerous because not only does the patient’s true condition go untreated, but the patient also receives treatment and medications that he or she does not need.

Let a Tallahassee Misdiagnosis Attorney Pursue Justice After These Examples of Medical Negligence

Each type of misdiagnosis can lead to a failure to timely treat any type of medical condition. However, some types of illnesses and injuries are particularly susceptible to misdiagnosis. This is typically due to one of two primary factors: (i) the condition’s symptoms can potentially be symptomatic of various other types of illnesses or injuries, or (ii) the symptoms are easily overlooked, whether during a physical examination or when reviewing test results.

However, while these medical conditions can be easily misdiagnosed, this is not an excuse for misdiagnosis. You should consult with a Tallahassee misdiagnosis lawyer if you or a loved one has experienced any of the following:

Failure to Diagnose Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a potentially-serious medical condition that is typically triggered by a severe allergic reaction. If not diagnosed promptly, anaphylaxis can lead to complications including shock and, in the most severe cases, death.

Failure to Diagnose Aneurysms

Aneurysms are also potentially-serious medical conditions that are particularly common among adults who are 50 years of age or older. Depending on where in the body an aneurysm occurs, it has the potential to be fatal if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

Failure to Diagnose Cancer

Many different forms of cancer are commonly misdiagnosed. If you or a member of your family has received a cancer misdiagnosis or a delayed cancer diagnosis, you should speak with a Tallahassee misdiagnosis lawyer about your legal rights. Some of the most commonly misdiagnosed forms of cancer include lymphoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, sarcomas and melanoma.

Misdiagnosed Infections

Failure to diagnose an infection can have serious and potentially fatal consequences, with potential outcomes depending heavily on the type of infection and the patient’s overall health condition. Commonly-misdiagnosed infections include fungal infections, meningitis, sepsis, post-surgical infections, and other healthcare-acquired infections (HAI).

Failure to Diagnose Heart Arrhythmia or Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

Heart arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) can potentially be symptomatic of various medical conditions, some of which are significantly more serious than others. Likewise, a heart attack (also called a myocardial infarction) can have varying effects and can be fatal in many cases. Failure to diagnose heart arrhythmia or a heart attack is a serious form of medical malpractice that should not go overlooked.

Bone Fracture Misdiagnosis

Bone fractures can be diagnosed with x-rays and various other diagnostic tests; however, doctors frequently overlook signs of fractures. Failure to diagnose a bone fracture can lead to inadequate or improper treatment, and this can potentially have permanent disabling effects.

Failure to Diagnose a Stroke

While strokes have a number of telltale symptoms, these symptoms are not always present. As a result, stroke misdiagnoses are relatively common. Unfortunately, failure to timely diagnose a stroke can lead to various severe, and potentially permanent, consequences—including memory loss, paralysis, difficulty talking or swallowing, and cognitive disorders. In severe cases, failure to diagnose a stroke can also result in one’s untimely death.

Our Tallahassee Misdiagnosis Lawyer Seeks Financial Compensation for All Effects of Misdiagnoses  

If you received an improper diagnosis due to medical malpractice, you are entitled to financial compensation for all of your losses resulting from your doctor’s mistake. This includes compensation for:

•       Failure to Treat the Patient’s Injury or Illness – You are entitled to compensation for the physical, psychological and financial effects of your doctor’s failure to treat your injury or illness.
•       Proving Treatment for the Wrong Condition – If you received treatment for the wrong condition, you are entitled to compensation for the physical, psychological and financial costs of undergoing unnecessary medical treatment as well.
•       Prescription and Administration of Dangerous Medications – You are also entitled to compensation for any financial and non-financial effects of receiving inappropriate and unnecessary prescription medications.
•       Loss of Income – If you have missed work due to your misdiagnosis, or if you will be unable to work in the future, you are entitled to compensation for your loss of income and earning capacity.
•       Pain, Suffering and Other Non–Financial Losses – In addition to direct financial losses, patients who receive misdiagnoses are entitled to compensation for their pain, suffering and other forms of non-financial harm.

Contact Searcy Denney to Learn Compensation Options with a Tallahassee Misdiagnosis Lawyer

To find out if you are entitled to financial compensation for your doctor’s misdiagnosis, call our law office at 800-780-8607 to speak with a Tallahassee misdiagnosis lawyer or contact us online for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win your case.