If a health care provider injured you, contact our law office or call us today at (410) 837-2144 for a free consultation with an experienced Baltimore failure to diagnose a condition lawyer from WGK Personal Injury Lawyers.
A failure to diagnose a condition can have catastrophic consequences for a patient. The patient may not receive the correct treatment for the condition, which could cause permanent impairment or wrongful death.
The Baltimore personal injury attorneys of WGK Personal Injury Lawyers have been representing victims of medical malpractice in Maryland since 1977. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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How Our Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help After a Failure to Diagnose
We understand that you have been through a traumatic experience. You may be wondering how our Baltimore personal injury attorneys can help you with a medical malpractice claim. You may also question whether you need to hire a law group to handle your case at all.
A failure to diagnose is an avoidable medical error. In most cases, negligence and intentional conduct are responsible for a delayed diagnosis. However, proving your medical malpractice case can be extremely challenging.
When you hire the legal team at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, you can expect us to:
- Investigate what happened to you and identify the parties responsible for causing you harm
- Work with medical experts to obtain evidence proving your physician made mistakes that caused your injury
- Document your damages and calculate the maximum value of your claim
- File insurance claims and monitor deadlines for filing lawsuits
- File medical malpractice lawsuits if the parties and insurance companies refuse to negotiate a fair settlement
Reach out to our office to speak with a knowledgeable representative. We will schedule your free case review with one of our Baltimore personal injury lawyers.
How Often Do Doctors Fail to Diagnose a Condition?
Diagnostic errors are some of the most common types of medical malpractice cases. Errors in diagnosing patients are the most frequent negligence claim in emergency care, but it is also a serious problem in primary health care.
Researchers at John Hopkins have suggested that diagnostic errors are more common, harmful, and costly than surgical errors and medication overdoses. The leader of the study claimed that diagnostic errors could be the “biggest patient safety” problem in the United States.
Why Do Doctors Fail to Diagnose Conditions?
There are many reasons why a doctor may fail to diagnose a condition. Common causes of failure to diagnose include, but are not limited to:
- Not reviewing the patient’s medical history and risk factors
- Failing to listen to or consider a patient’s reported symptoms
- Rushing through examinations and appointments
- Failure to order laboratory tests and imaging tests
- Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failing to develop a differential diagnosis list
- Misinterpreting lab results and imagining results
- Not referring patients to specialists or failing to consult specialists
The consequences of failing to diagnose a condition include cancer misdiagnosis, birth injury, brain damage, stroke, heart attacks, amputations, and nerve damage. The result could be a permanent disability or wrongful death.
Patients who are not diagnosed correctly may not receive the medication or treatment they need for their condition. In a misdiagnosis case, the patient could even receive the incorrect treatment! The potential for patient harm is virtually endless when a doctor makes an error in diagnosing a medical condition.
Can I Sue My Doctor for Damages Caused by a Failure to Diagnose in Baltimore?
A doctor is required to provide care that meets or exceeds the acceptable standard of care for a specific situation. The standard of care is based on what other doctors would have done in the same or similar situation.
If your doctor’s conduct falls short of the standard of care, you could be entitled to compensation for damages. Damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Personal care
- Loss of income
- Disabilities and impairments
- Ongoing medical and personal care
- Reduced future earning potential
- Reduction in quality of life
You have the burden of proving that your doctor was negligent. You will have to show they breached their duty of care and caused your injury and damages. If you cannot prove that the doctor’s conduct caused your injury, you cannot prove medical malpractice.
Our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers understand the legal elements for proving your case. We will gather evidence and consult with medical experts to build a strong case of malpractice and liability.
There are deadlines for filing malpractice claims in Maryland. You have five years from the date of the malpractice or three years from the date you discover your injuries to file your claim, whichever is earlier. Do not delay seeking legal advice about your claim, or you could lose your right to compensation for injuries.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Baltimore, MD Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Failing to diagnose a condition can be dangerous and life-threatening for a patient. It can cause permanent and even fatal injuries that might have been avoidable with a correct diagnosis. If you sustained harm because of your doctor’s negligent acts, you deserve compensation for your damages.
Call us or contact our office online to schedule a free consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer in Baltimore, MD.
