Failure to Diagnose: What You Need to Know

If a doctor overlooks one crucial detail of a patient’s symptoms, it can lead them to fail or misdiagnose the condition, which can be very dangerous.

Medical malpractice can occur in a variety of ways and can lead to serious injuries or even wrongful death. It is important to be informed about the different types of medical malpractice and how they occur. If a doctor doesn’t diagnose you in time and it leads to injury or worsened conditions, that could potentially be considered medical malpractice. Here is what you need to know about failure to diagnose.

Doctor-Patient Relationship

The first step when dealing with a failure to diagnose case is proving that there was a doctor-patient relationship. This is the easiest part of the process because once a doctor examines a patient and agrees to provide some type of treatment, the doctor-patient relationship is established. Doctors are required to always provide the best care possible to their patients.

Negligent Diagnosis

A doctor’s actions are considered negligent when they violate the standard of care. This means that another competent doctor would have provided better care under the same circumstances. It is up to the patient to prove that the doctor acted negligently in order to prove medical malpractice. When it comes to diagnosing a patient, here is how it can be considered negligence:

Failure to include a potential medical diagnosis in the initial list of possible diagnoses
Conducting a test improperly, leading to a mistake in narrowing down the possible diagnoses
Failure to recognize the urgency of a particular symptom or symptoms
A nurse’s failure to provide the correct medication to the patient

Injuries Caused

Failure to diagnose has to lead to some sort of injury or worsened condition in order for it to be considered medical malpractice. The damages you can recieve can be for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, loss of earning capacity, etc. The complicated part is proving that the failure to diagnose is what directly led to the injuries. If your condition would have worsened regardless of the failed diagnosis, it doesn’t count as medical malpractice.

Have You or a Loved One Suffered Injuries as a Result of a Failure To Diagnose? Contact The Snyder Law Group Today

The Snyder Law Group, LLC, proudly represents clients through Maryland and Washington D.C. Our experienced Baltimore attorneys understand the frustration that comes with an insurance company, medical professional, or other party that refuses to accept liability for negligence or reckless behavior. You can take heart in knowing there are talented and experienced lawyers ready to work for you. We are experienced in handling personal injury claims that result from medical malpractice or injury resulting from serious car or truck accidents and have secured hundreds of millions in verdict settlements. Give us a call at (410)-843-3476 for a free case evaluation. You can also visit our website www.410thefirm.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter,Google +, and LinkedIn for more information.