When a medical condition is not diagnosed correctly or is not diagnosed promptly, tragedy can result. A quick and accurate diagnosis is the essential first step to treating an injury or illness and beginning the path to healing. Without a proper diagnosis, a patient may never receive the care they need. Additionally, they may suffer from injuries caused by unnecessary and inaccurate treatment plans. Medical professionals who fail to meet their responsibility to provide a proper diagnosis can gravely injure their patients.
In cases of a failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis, the doctor or nurse who reported the inaccurate diagnosis or did not diagnose a patient on time may not be the only party at fault. Diagnosing a patient requires the input of several people, all who may be liable when their negligence causes injury to a patient.
Doctor and Nurse Liability
Doctors and nurses are responsible for assessing the symptoms of patients and conducting tests to reach an accurate diagnosis. By misinterpreting test results, administering a test incorrectly, or failing to recognize symptoms, these medical professionals can inaccurately diagnose a patient. This may lead to unnecessary treatment, and as a result, further injury.
Hospital and Medical Provider Liability
The administration of a hospital or other medical provider may be liable for failing to properly train their employees or give them equipment that allows them to accurately diagnose patients. In many cases, the facility where the patient was injured will be held liable for damages anyway, regardless of the administration’s level of involvement in the incident.
Third-Party Liability
Other parties may be liable for diagnosis errors as well. For example, many medical providers rely on third-party services to conduct testing and provide diagnoses. An inaccurate diagnosis may be caused by a defective testing system, in which case, the testing company would be liable for damages. Depending on the methods that a medical provider uses to diagnose patients, other third parties could share liability for diagnosis errors.
At the Law Offices of David A. Kates, PLLC, our attorney is well-versed in medical negligence litigation. We can represent you in cases against doctors, hospitals, and other liable parties. Call us for more information on how we can help you.
If you are interested in speaking with our lawyer, send us a message or call (718) 866-3664 for a free consultation.