Baltimore Misdiagnosis Lawyer
Medical misdiagnosis is a very common type of medical malpractice. A delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis will leave patients with an untreated condition, and it could cause them to receive medication or treatment that actually causes further harm. If you have been hurt by a misdiagnosis, you may be entitled to legal compensation that can help offset the losses you sustained. A Baltimore misdiagnosis lawyer can advise on your claim and help you obtain the full damages you deserve.
What is Misdiagnosis?
Like any other aspect of healthcare, doctors must follow an acceptable standard of care when they are providing a service or treatment. The failure to meet that standard of care indicates that a medical professional was negligent. Those standards of care also apply to when a doctor is diagnosing a patient and when they are ruling out certain medical conditions. When a doctor does not properly conduct a diagnostic procedure, the patient could result in serious injuries that are sometimes life-threatening. There are many ways doctors make a misdiagnosis, but the most common of them include:
- Inaccurate diagnosis: This occurs when there is evidence that a patient is suffering from one condition but the doctor makes another, inaccurate diagnosis. Inaccurate diagnoses result in a patient receiving the wrong treatment, while the condition they are actually suffering from goes untreated.
- Failure to diagnose: A failure to diagnose occurs when the doctor does not provide a diagnosis at all. For example, a doctor may tell a patient experiencing a heart attack that they are only suffering indigestion and send them home.
- Delayed diagnosis: Every minute counts when a patient is suffering from a medical condition. In some cases though, a doctor may not act quickly enough. For example, a doctor may receive test results that indicate a patient is suffering from a serious condition but fail to tell the patient in a timely manner.
All of the above actions or inactions are examples of serious medical malpractice that result in patients suffering serious injuries.
Causes of Medical Misdiagnosis
Most medical misdiagnoses are a result of a healthcare professional’s negligence, or carelessness. Some of the most common causes of medical misdiagnosis are as follows:
- Incorrectly interpreting medical tests or charts
- Failure to order the proper medical tests
- Failing to conduct an in-depth initial exam
- Misinterpreting scans, such as X-rays
- Failing to properly communicate about symptoms, potential diagnoses, or treatment options with patients
- Failing to follow up with a patient about their symptoms
- Insufficient communication between a patient’s different healthcare providers
Some of the most common conditions that are misdiagnosed based on the above causes include cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and infections.
How do I know if my misdiagnosis qualifies as medical malpractice?
Not every misdiagnosis is considered medical malpractice. To have a valid claim, you must prove that the doctor’s failure to diagnose or incorrect diagnosis deviated from the accepted standard of care, and that this mistake directly caused you harm. A Baltimore misdiagnosis lawyer can evaluate your case and determine if negligence played a role in your condition.
What types of damages can I recover in a misdiagnosis lawsuit?
Victims of medical misdiagnosis may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and additional treatment costs resulting from the misdiagnosis. If the misdiagnosis led to severe complications or wrongful death, families may also pursue damages for loss of companionship and future financial support.
How long do I have to file a medical misdiagnosis lawsuit in Maryland?
Maryland law generally allows victims to file a medical malpractice claim within five years from the date of the injury or three years from when the injury was discovered—whichever is earlier. Because medical misdiagnosis cases are complex, it’s crucial to consult a Baltimore misdiagnosis attorney as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss critical deadlines.
Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Baltimore Can Help After a Misdiagnosis
If you or a loved one has been hurt by a misdiagnosis, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, can provide the sound legal advice you need. Call us today at 410-998-3600 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
