Misdiagnoses typically involve medical care providers who fail to treat their patients properly despite signs and symptoms that they were experiencing something that negatively affected them. If you were given an incorrect diagnosis that led your condition to worsen or go untreated, you might be able to pursue compensation with the help of a dedicated medical malpractice lawyer.
A Florida misdiagnosis lawyer can help you evaluate your doctor’s actions, compare your treatment or lack thereof to the standard of care that should have been provided to you, and gather evidence that showcases your physician’s negligence. Call today to get started on your case.
Mistakes Vs. Medical Malpractice
Medical care providers have a duty to provide a standard of care to all patients, and a breach thereof could result in damages and injuries. There are circumstances in which a misdiagnosis can be a permissible mistake instead of an example of medical malpractice. Cases of medical negligence must meet several criteria, like whether the physician in question fulfilled their duty of care to patients, for example.
One of the most important aspects of a case is whether a misdiagnosis makes a substantial difference in a patient’s life. For example, a patient whose misdiagnosis does not impact their medical outcome has no basis for a medical negligence case.
Common Medical Misdiagnoses
Some of the most common forms of misdiagnosis involve stroke cases. For example, a doctor could be held responsible for failing to treat a patient who suffers from strokes — or who is likely to have a stroke based on their symptoms — if that patient ends up having a stroke that severely injures or kills them.
Additionally, cervical cancer cases often entail misread Pap smears. Female patients typically go to their gynecologists on an annual basis, and many of them get a Pap smear to determine whether they have abnormal cells. A lab may read Pap smear slides from a patient who has had a history of normal results and suddenly diagnose them with cervical cancer at a late stage. Misread slides would make a difference of life or death for a patient in these circumstances, as the cancer would be metastasized in other parts of their body by the time a diagnosis is given, and their life span would be limited as a result.
Other common cases involve a patient regularly seeing a physician for recurring symptoms. A patient such as this might find out years later that they are actually suffering from a form of cancer and have only a small amount of time to live. A Florida misdiagnosis attorney can help patients discover how their doctors may have had a hand in their deteriorating health or worsening conditions.
Dangerous Conditions to Misdiagnose
One of the most dangerous conditions to misdiagnose and mistreat is sepsis, which is an infection inside the bloodstream of the body. Sometimes, a patient will present this condition to a hospital trying to find the source of their sepsis. Instead of fully evaluating the patient, the hospital may discharge them without having provided the right treatment or care, so their infection could spread and worsen. Sepsis can be deadly because it takes its course very quickly, as someone with this disease can die within five to seven days. Fortunately, a misdiagnosis lawyer in Florida can help patients in these circumstances prepare for litigation against responsible doctors.
Preventative Misdiagnosis Measures
Some ways to reduce or prevent misdiagnoses are education and training. A hospital that is aware of the common fact patterns which surround misdiagnoses or complications that could occur during or after surgeries can adequately train staff and reduce these potentially fatal mistakes.
Call a Florida Misdiagnosis Attorney Today
You should be able to trust your doctor’s opinion, but a lack of information or a misinterpretation of symptoms can be fatal. If you or a loved one was harmed due to a physician’s negligence, you may be able to collect compensation for your losses. Enlist the help of a Florida misdiagnosis lawyer today to start building your defense against your doctor.