Medical misdiagnosis can cause serious harm to victims and their families who have entrusted their medical care and treatment to medical professionals. Medical malpractice can take a variety of different forms including misdiagnosis which can cause victims to suffer harm including a worsened condition or even death.
What medical misdiagnosis includes
Medical misdiagnosis is a type of medical malpractice. Misdiagnosis can include a failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis or erroneous diagnosis. Each type of medical malpractice can cause serious harm to the victim including that they may not receive the life-saving treatment they need or may receive treatment they do not need, including medications they do not need.
What victims can do about misdiagnosis
Victims of medical misdiagnosis or other medical malpractice may be able to recover compensation for the harmed caused them through a personal injury claim for damages. In general, if the misdiagnosis, failed diagnosis or erroneous diagnosis resulted in a worsened medical condition beyond what would have been expected had the medical condition been properly and timely diagnosed, the victim may be able to recover compensation for their damages.
What action the victims may take
If a medical care professional provides medical care and treatment that falls below the standard of care, they may be liable for the damages the victim suffers. For that reason, it is important for medical care professionals, including doctors, nurses, surgeons and other medical care providers, to listen to the patient’s medical history, symptoms and order the appropriate tests and ensure they are properly interpreted otherwise they may be liable for the damages suffered by the victim. Victims of medical malpractice should be familiar with the legal protections available to them when they have been harmed by a trusted medical care provider.