Receiving a misdiagnosis can have serious consequences. You either won’t be directed to the care you actually need, or you’ll be placed in harm’s way with unnecessary treatment. If a medical professional has failed to properly diagnose a medical condition or illness, contact us.
Indiana Misdiagnosis Attorneys
All symptoms and every aspect of a patient’s medical history must be carefully considered for an accurate diagnosis. But all too often, mistakes are made. Certain medical conditions can mimic the symptoms of other issues, and negligent physicians might take the wrong steps and worsen your outcomes. Whether because of systematic flaws in healthcare delivery or gross financial incentives, ineffective healthcare providers must be held accountable.
Our medical malpractice lawsuit attorneys at Golitko & Daly, P.C., based in Indianapolis, Indiana, can help you secure maximum compensation for your claim. We understand the tragic complications that often arise from a medical misdiagnosis and can apply our team’s experience to strengthen your case. Contact us today to determine whether a lawsuit is in your best interest. We’re always happy to provide free consultations to review your case.
How Does Misdiagnosis Happen?
After we place our trust in healthcare providers, it can be incredibly devastating to discover that mistakes have been made. A diagnostic error can happen when a physician fails to review critical elements of a patient’s medical history, including their current prescriptions. Other times the problems stem from doctors misinterpreting test results, or failing to refer their patients to specialists when further testing is required.
- Doctor inexperience or overconfidence
- Fragmentation of care
- Improper testing
Some misdiagnosis cases occur because of a delayed diagnosis, in which the doctor failed to adhere to a reasonable timeline for an accurate diagnosis. The subsequent lack of treatment often leads to worsening conditions, and sometimes even the death of a loved one. This is why victims of medical malpractice need experienced attorneys on their side.
The Effects of Diagnostic Errors
Medical professionals who overlook key details of the patient’s condition must be held accountable because the diagnosis forms the foundation of a patient’s treatment plan. Misdiagnosis puts individuals at risk of worsening health conditions due to lack of treatment or improper medical care. This is especially troubling for cases of a cancer misdiagnosis, since patients can be subjected to elaborate, unnecessary treatments—or even miss the opportunity for life-saving care when symptoms of one type of cancer are mistaken for another.
Diagnostic errors can cause healthcare providers to prescribe tests, procedures, and medications that are not medically justified. These measures come with potentially dangerous side effects, not to mention added costs and wasted time. Doctors who misdiagnose a patient’s condition lead them down a harmful road. The individual will either be treated for an unrelated medical issue or have their concerns dismissed altogether, which can lower their quality of life or ultimately become fatal.
Understanding Medical Malpractice in Indiana
Only a detailed process of elimination can identify the patient’s underlying condition. Typically, this is handled with a systematic approach where the doctor lists potential diagnoses in order of probability. From there, they will test the likelihood of each diagnosis by asking the patient additional questions, ordering tests, or referring the patient to a specialist. Along the way, certain diagnoses will be ruled out, so in the end, hopefully only the correct diagnosis remains.
The problem, however, is that a negligent doctor can fail to include the proper diagnosis on their original list of options. They might also fail to recognize the correct diagnosis due to improper testing, forgoing a referral, or just by ignoring symptoms. All of these mistakes can be grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
Our Experienced Attorneys Can Help
Whereas a competent doctor would have considered all of the likely causes, caught the problem, and made the right call, an actionable misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare provider’s negligence resulted in delayed or inappropriate treatment. Unfortunately, this lack of care can have life-altering consequences for the patient and their family.
Indiana law protects individuals when a doctor’s actions are inconsistent with the typical standards of care. If you’ve been harmed, it’s crucial that you understand your options. Consulting with a medical malpractice attorney and receiving the proper care from a qualified physician can protect you from further harm.
Our team of lawyers at Golitko & Daly, P.C., with offices in Indianapolis, Kokomo, and Bloomington, can help you hold the responsible parties accountable for their mistakes. We’re here to partner strategically with clients so they receive the compensation they deserve. Contact our law firm today to schedule your free consultation.