Failure to Diagnose and Hospital Neglect Lawyers in Merrillville, Gary and Crown Point, IN
A law firm that helps victims of medical negligence obtain compensation
No doctor can be expected to recognize the cause of every physical ailment at first glance. But doctors are expected to be curious, to investigate, to order appropriate tests, and to act with urgency when appropriate. If your doctor failed to identify a physical issue when it was in an early stage and highly treatable, you may have cause to sue for malpractice. For more than 30 years, Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC has helped injured patients with cases involving medical errors. If you’re facing extreme hardship now because a doctor did not treat your condition in a timely fashion, we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
What is failure to diagnose?
Failure to diagnose occurs when a doctor fails to recognize and treat a medical condition. Such a failure can lead to a missed diagnosis, resulting in the doctor taking no action at all, or a misdiagnosis, causing the doctor to treat the patient for the wrong condition. Failure to diagnose puts the patient at risk, because the underlying condition can worsen over time.
When does failure to diagnose become medical malpractice?
We cannot expect doctors to perform at a superhuman level. However, medical malpractice happens when a doctor’s substandard performance of medical duties prevents a proper diagnosis and leads to greater injuries. Failures that, individually or combined, amount to malpractice include:
- Failing to take a patient’s medical history
- Conducting a physical examination improperly
- Ignoring guidelines for health screenings, especially for at-risk patients
- Failing to recognize symptoms
- Dismissing a patient’s complaints
- Failing to order tests when indicated
- Misinterpreting test results
- Failing to follow up with patient
- Not referring a patient to a specialist in a timely manner
Which conditions do physicians most often misdiagnose or fail to diagnose?
There is probably no missed diagnosis that is more frightening than cancer. Medical science has made great strides in treating cancer, and early detection is the most important factor for survivability. When doctors miss a cancer diagnosis, they allow tumors to grow, spread and metastasize. However, cancer is not the only condition for which a misdiagnosis puts a patient in peril. Others include:
- Heart disease
- Aortic dissection (tear in the aorta)
- Allergies
- Diabetes and diabetic complications
- Meningitis
- Lyme disease
- Maternity issues
If your doctor failed to diagnose your condition, contact our medical malpractice attorneys
A doctor’s failure to diagnose can have awful consequences for a patient. If you’re suffering today for what your doctor didn’t do yesterday, speak with a medical malpractice attorney at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC. To schedule a free consultation, call 219.769.2900 or contact our Crown Point office online.
