As a society, we hold medical professionals in high esteem. One of a physician’s crucial roles is diagnosing serious illnesses or injuries. Once a diagnosis is established, it informs how the patient should be treated and what kinds of additional medical care they may need along the way.
Unfortunately, misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose are common issues in medical malpractice law. For all of the education and training doctors receive, not all are as effective as those who uphold the standards of their practice.
If you recently became aware of a misdiagnosis or a missed diagnosis, you probably have a lot of questions. Here, we’ll address a few of the most common questions people in your position might have so you can have a better understanding of what to do next.
How Can I Tell If My Doctor Misdiagnosed Me?
For liability purposes, not all doctors will be upfront with patients when they make a misdiagnosis. Some may not even be aware that they have made an error. If you suspect your doctor has made a misdiagnosis, you can visit one or two other physicians to seek alternate opinions. If these other doctors concur with each other, this can be a sign that your first doctor misdiagnosed you.
You may also have experienced a misdiagnosis if you have symptoms that are commonly observed in several other conditions. Unless your doctor performed adequate testing to ascertain the underlying condition, their diagnosis could be off-base.
Lastly, you may be experiencing a misdiagnosis if the medication or treatment your doctor prescribes doesn’t work. Although it’s not uncommon for different drugs to affect people with the same condition differently, a condition that doesn’t improve with treatment can be a sign of a misdiagnosis.
What Are Some Commonly Misdiagnosed Diseases?
Unfortunately, there are some very serious diseases that are commonly misdiagnosed by physicians. In most cases, misdiagnoses occur because these conditions have overlapping symptoms with other conditions. As we previously addressed, this underscores the importance of adequate testing to get an accurate diagnosis.
Some of the most commonly misdiagnosed diseases include the following:
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Sepsis
- Heart attack
- Lupus
- Lyme Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
What Are the Risks of a Misdiagnosis or Missed Diagnosis?
There can be very severe consequences such as severe permanent disability or death in either case. If you are misdiagnosed, the actual underlying condition can worsen while you are being treated for something you don’t have. Your doctor can also prescribe unnecessary medications or treatments that can cause harm or even worsen the actual condition.
What Should I Do If I Suspect I Was Misdiagnosed?
If you believe your doctor misdiagnosed you, and you suffered damages as a result, you can hold your physician accountable with a medical malpractice lawsuit. Although it can be difficult to consider legal action at such a sensitive time, it can help you recover medical bills and other losses you incurred as a result of the misdiagnosis.
If you want to reach out to someone who can help, the Law Office of David Kate is here for you. Our dedicated legal team can guide you through this process and help you work toward achieving what you need to move forward with your life.
For more information, contact the Law Office of David A. Kates online now.