Unfortunately, when a medical condition is not diagnosed, it can result in death which can have a devastating impact on the surviving families. A failure to diagnose, failure to timely diagnose or misdiagnosis can have serious consequences which is why victims and their families must be familiar with their legal protections.
This blog recently discussed a doctor’s duty of care. If a doctor, hospital or other medical care professional provides negligent care that results in harm to the patient, they may be liable to compensate the victim or their family for the damages they have suffered. Victims and their families may be able to recover compensation for personal injury or wrongful death including medical expenses, lost wages, lost-earning capacity and pain and suffering damages, among others.
It is important for doctors to pay close attention to the symptoms of the patient and to order the proper tests and ensure those tests are read and interpreted correctly. It is also important that a patient’s symptoms are not dismissed. Doctors and medical care professionals should always conduct a thorough physical exam and carefully review the patient’s medical history. A heart attack, for instance, which is, of course, serious may be incorrectly diagnosed as heartburn, acid reflux, an anxiety attack, angina, bronchitis or pneumonia.
A failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosed can result in disease progression which may lead to a worsened condition or death. When that occurs, victims and their families should be familiar with the legal resources and remedies available to help and to protect them.
