When we visit the doctor’s office or ER, we expect that a medical professional will be able to accurately diagnose whatever’s ailing us. While most doctors are highly intelligent and capable, even the smartest and most experienced ones can make a mistake.
Unfortunately, the field of medicine is not cut and dry. Many patients experience vague symptoms that could mean a lot of different things. Sometimes patients actually have rare diseases that are hard to diagnose and treat.
This means that it’s possible you could be misdiagnosed with a disease at some point in your life. Your doctor may tell you that you have the flu, but you might actually have pneumonia. That stomach pain may not be constipation; it could be cancer.
Misdiagnoses are not tracked and reported, so it’s hard to tell just how often they occur. Experts put the occurrence rate at 5%, which may seem minimal, but keep in mind that’s a 1 in 20 rate. So if you’ve seen 20 different doctors during your lifetime, at least one is bound to have been wrong.
A misdiagnosis could be nothing or it can be a serious error. If you have been affected, you need help from a Baltimore misdiagnosis lawyer from Furman | Honick Law. You focus on physical recovery, and we’ll help you with the financial recovery
Misdiagnosis vs. Missed Diagnosis
There are two terms you should be familiar with: misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. A misdiagnosis means that a doctor diagnosed a patient with the wrong condition. Examples include a patient who is suffering from a heart attack being told they have indigestion or a nursing mother being told that they have mastitis when they really have breast cancer. In some cases, a misdiagnosis may simply result in a waste of time and money. In the worst case scenario, the correct diagnosis may not come about until it’s too late. Misdiagnosis can happen by failing to order tests or by misreading test results.
A missed diagnosis, on the other hand, is a little different from misdiagnosis, but can also have tragic results. A missed diagnosis may be a delayed diagnosis or a failure to diagnose any condition at all. This may happen when the doctor does not recognize certain symptoms or perhaps the symptoms are so vague and associated with mostly minor conditions. The patient may get no treatment at all, causing the condition to get worse.
Contact Furman | Honick Law Today
A misdiagnosis may seem like a minor issue, but it happens more often than you may think and can be deadly for a patient.
Are you a victim of misdiagnosis? Did your loved one die from an incorrect diagnosis? If so, it’s time to hold the doctor accountable. The team at Furman | Honick Law can help. We understand how complex these claims can be. Schedule a free consultation with a Baltimore misdiagnosis lawyer by calling (410) 844-6000 or filling out the online form.