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Medical Misdiagnosis

Medical misdiagnosis is the cause for 20% of fatal illnesses. Luckily, not all medical misdiagnoses are fatal. A medical misdiagnosis can lead to a worsening of a patients condition, a death, and undue stress and anxiety. Additionally, non fatal misdiagnoses may be a cause of wasted time, money, tests, and therapies for the patient. There is also the possibility that the patient will suffer unnecessary side effects from taking unneeded medications. 

Types of Medical Misdiagnosis:

  • Wrong disease diagnosed.
  • Failure to diagnose in a reasonable amount of time.
  • Diagnosis of current condition is right, but underlying cause is not identified.
  • Medication side effects mistaken for illness.

Three things have to be proven for a medical misdiagnosis to be considered a form of medical malpractice.

  1. The patient was actually seeing said physician for a condition, symptoms, and/or treatment.
  2. In what manner was the doctor negligent? A doctor will arrive at a differential diagnosis systematically. The doctor will have a list of possible diagnoses for the illness of a patient. Diagnostic tests are then performed to confirm or rule out possible illnesses. This can result is several things happening:
    • The right diagnosis is made.
    • A wrong diagnosis is made because the correct diagnosis was not in the list of possible diagnoses that MOST reasonable, knowledgeable doctors would have arrived at.
    • A wrong diagnosis is made because the doctor chose the wrong diagnostic test(s) that would have determined disease -- even though correct diagnosis was in the list of possibilities.
    • Faulty diagnostic equipment caused inaccurate test results.
    • Diagnostic test results were inaccurate due to human error, such as lab mix ups, or a misreading of the results.
  3. There was negligence on the part of the physician in causing injury to the patient.

List of the 13 most commonly Misdiagnosed Medical Conditions:

  • Appendicitis
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cervical cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Lung Cancer
  • Meningitis
  • Acute Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
  • Ovarian Cancer
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Stroke
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Tuberculosis

If you or a loved one suffered a worsening medical condition or death due to a medical misdiagnosis, you may be eligible for damages. Let the Sweeney Law Firm’s medical experts review the facts to see if you have a medical misdiagnosis malpractice case. The Sweeney Law Firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid unless there is a settlement or recovery of funds for you.

 

Medical Misdiagnosis Articles

Aortic Aneurysms
An Aortic Aneurysm refers to abnormal enlargement or bulging of the aorta, which is the largest blood vessel in the body. The aorta is the main artery in the human body beginning at the left...
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires surgery to remove an inflamed or burst appendix. The appendix is small tube attached to the end of the ascending colon or large intestine. It has no...
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease can be contracted from ticks carrying a bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi.  The tick initially picks up the bacteria from biting an infected mouse or a deer. For the tick to...
Newborn Jaundice / Kernicterus
Jaundice in newborns is very common. Up to 60% of newborns present with a yellowing of the skin and/or eyes two to four days after birth. This type of jaundice is known as physiological jaundice. It...
Myocardial Infarction (MI) Diagnostic Markers
Blood testing for the protein troponin in suspected heart attack patients is part of normal diagnostic testing for patients suspected of myocardial infarction (heart attack). The appearance of...
Myocardial Infarction
Most people know that a heart attack, or mycardial infarction, is a medical emergency. Chest pain is not something to take time with or make inaccurate guesses at. Mere seconds can mean the...
Meningitis
The meninges surround and help to protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungus. The most serious is acute...
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be divided into several categories: inherited, birth trauma, and acquired. Acquired spinal cord injuries is a broad category covering infectious agents or mechanical forces...
Stroke
Stroke is the general term used for blood flow disruption to the brain. Continuous blood flow is extremely important as it delivers oxygen, nutrients, and carries waste away from cells of the brain...
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a very contagious and spreadable disease in enclosed spaces. TB bacteria is spread through the air by persons talking, coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Breathing in TB bacteria...
Addison's Disease
Addison's disease, also called adrenal insufficiency, is caused by a lack of hormones being produced either by the adrenal glands due to autoimmune damage, or a lack of proper signalling from the...
Trichinosis
Trichinosis is an infection caused by the parasitic roundworm Trichinella spiralis and similar species. There are two stages to trichinosis infections, each with their own associated symptoms. Most...
Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is also known as water on the brain. The “water” is actually cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) that is in continuous circulation around the spinal cord, and around and through the brain. CSF...
Neural Tube Defects (NTD)
Neural tube defects (NTD) happen very early on in the embryonic stage of development. Within the first few weeks, the neural tube forms which eventually becomes the central nervous system consisting...
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten derived from wheat, barley or rye grains. Glutens are found in many grain products and foods. In the small intestines, during digestion, gluten triggers an...
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is very common in younger children and babies. It is highly contagious, and most people have contracted it at some point in their lives. The virus normally...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that is characterized by a large intestine and colon that are overly sensitive to diet and/or stress. IBS is not an inflammatory bowel disease,...
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