Medical Malpractice Misdiagnosis and Improper Treatment
When people are ill, they rely on medical professionals to diagnose their condition and create a treatment plan. If a condition is misdiagnosed, it can lead to delayed or improper treatment. Medical malpractice involving misdiagnosis and improper treatment can have devastating effects, including death. Unfortunately, misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose are much more common than most people realize.
Improper treatment related to a misdiagnosis can have physical, emotional, and financial consequences for the patient. Medical malpractice lawyers at Zucker & Regev, P.C., in Brooklyn, NY, assist individuals in pursuing compensation for losses related to misdiagnosis and improper treatment.
How Does Misdiagnosis Occur?
When a medical professional is treating a patient, they use a differential diagnosis method to determine the most appropriate treatment plan. The differential diagnosis method involves making a list of potential diagnoses in order of probability, based on the symptoms that the patient presents. The doctor then tests the strength of each diagnosis by looking at the patient’s medical history, asking further questions about the patient’s symptoms, making medical observations, ordering tests, and/or referring the patient to a specialist.
If a medical professional is negligent when making a diagnosis, or makes an error that would not have been made by a similarly trained medical professional, it is classified as medical malpractice. Examples of medical malpractice that can lead to a misdiagnosis include:
- Failure to include the correct diagnosis on the differential diagnosis list
- Failure to order the tests necessary to make an accurate diagnosis
- Failure to refer the patient to a specialist
- Misreading of test results
Dangers of Misdiagnosis and Improper Treatment
A misdiagnosis frequently leads to improper treatment, meaning that the patient is treated for a condition that they don’t actually have. For instance, if a patient has a viral infection but they are diagnosed with a bacterial infection, they will likely be prescribed antibiotics, which are ineffective on viruses. Improper treatment can be very dangerous for patients. Some of the potential complications of misdiagnosis that results in improper treatment are:
- Prolonged illness
- Progression of the illness to more advanced stages
- Illness or side effects related to improper treatment
- Need for more invasive treatment, which may include surgery
- Death
Medical Malpractice Damages
If a patient suffers damages related to medical malpractice involving misdiagnosis and improper treatment, they can hold liable medical professionals accountable for their economic and non-economic losses. Our Brooklyn lawyers assist clients in pursuing compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished wage earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
If improper treatment leads to a patient’s death, surviving family members can file a lawsuit to pursue further compensation for wrongful death damages, which may include funeral and burial expenses, loss of income and/or benefits, and loss of consortium.
Contact Zucker & Regev, P.C.
Individuals in the Brooklyn area who have suffered emotional and/or financial losses related to improper medical treatment may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. If you’d like to schedule a case review with the medical malpractice lawyers at Zucker & Regev, P.C., contact our law firm online, or call (718) 624-1211.