Misdiagnosis is one of the medical malpractice issues, which seems to reduce the survival rate. Most people are not aware that there are legal remedies that you can pursue after a misdiagnosis affects the quality of your life and health. Delayed diagnosis can also force patients to suffer more chronic conditions, which would have otherwise been avoided. These are compensable injuries and an experienced medical malpractice lawyer should help you file such claims.
The legal injuries that are caused by a misdiagnosis are not necessarily caused by the treating doctors. In most cases, physicians depend on the diagnostics given by pathologists, radiologists, and other medical research experts. As such, when a doctor mistreats you due to misleading information the medical officer responsible for the diagnosis will be held liable. The doctor treating you may also be liable for medical malpractice if it is proved they did not verify the data.
Misdiagnosis without Medical Injuries
There are other medical experts who offer other services like mental health experts, psychologists, and dentists. These are professionals who can also give a misdiagnosis that may not cause any medical injuries. Nonetheless, these are professionals who are expected to meet the standard care when handling patients. In the event that it is proved that they did not act in a prudent and reasonable manner while treating patients, they can be held liable.
As a patient, you are entitled to compensation for the claims. In the event of death from such misdiagnosis, the estate can claim for medical malpractice and also file for wrongful death claims separately.
What to Do After a Misdiagnosis
Your personal safety and health are more important than any claim for damages. As such, the first thing you should do is seek the proper treatment for the initial condition and the misdiagnosis. Get several opinions where necessary before making any conclusions.
As far as the claims for misdiagnosis go, you should contact a medical malpractice attorney right away. It is important to note that such claims are subject to some statutory limitations and time is of the essence. With the help of a professional medical malpractice lawyer, you will get the right compensation and within the stipulated time. The good news is that when you have a lawyer working for you, your focus will be on your treatment and recovery.
There are some essential details which are required as supporting evidence for your claims. Some of these include hospital records, consultation reports, doctor’s notes, and X-rays among others. It is important to keep all the information intact until the case is resolved. When you need to pursue claims for medical malpractice, have a professional lawyer to help you navigate the claim process.
Final Thoughts
General, the legal profession is quite complicated. As such, it is best to hire a lawyer who can help you with the process right from the start. We hope that this article has helped you get some understanding about legal injuries caused by misdiagnosis.