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Getting a Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosis is one of the most common types of medical malpractice and occurs when a doctor incorrectly diagnoses an injury or illness or fails to provide a diagnosis at all. When a patient isn’t give the right diagnosis, he or she may be given unnecessary treatments that can do more harm to the body, or no treatment at all.  In either case, that patient has the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor.

Common Types of Misdiagnoses

With all the different types of diseases and conditions, there are many potential misdiagnosis scenarios. Here are the most common ones:

●   Heart attacks may be misdiagnosed as panic attacks or indigestion

●   Staph infections may be misdiagnosed at the flu

●   Asthma may be misdiagnosed as bronchitis

●   Strokes may be misdiagnosed as headaches or other minor issues

●   Lymph node inflammation can be misdiagnosed as appendicitis

You Must Prove the Malpractice Caused You Harm

To win a medical malpractice lawsuit, you have to do more than just show that your doctor didn’t make the correct diagnosis. You also have to prove that the misdiagnosis caused you harm. For example, if the misdiagnosis resulted in you needlessly receiving an aggressive treatment, like chemotherapy or radiation, or an unnecessary surgical procedure, it shows that you were indeed harmed.

Preventing a Misdiagnosis

The idea of getting the wrong diagnosis is scary, but there are several things you can do to minimize your risk:

●   Don’t hesitate to ask questions: If you are having trouble understanding what your doctor is saying, don’t be afraid to ask him or her to explain in further detail. Find out why he or she thinks you have a certain injury or disease. In addition, ask your doctor what other possible diagnoses there could be for your condition.

●   Do Your Own Research: After your doctor has diagnosed you, take the time to research your condition online. This will help you better understand your illness and help you ask your doctor the necessary questions.

●   Get a Second Opinion: If you have doubts about the diagnosis your doctor gave you, don’t hesitate to ask the opinion of another physician. It is your health and you deserve to have as many explanations as you want about your illness.

●   Hiring a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

●   A misdiagnosis can severely affect your health and well-being. If you believe you have been harmed from a misdiagnosis, you should consider speaking to a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. He or she may review your case and determine if you have a good chance at winning or not. If your lawyer believes you have a strong case, he or she may assist you in gathering evidence, identifying expert witnesses and communicating with the doctor and his or her insurance company.

●   You only have so much time to file a lawsuit for your misdiagnosis, so it is important to consult with an attorney, like a medical malpractice lawyer Baltimore, MD trusts, as soon as you suspect you have been misdiagnosed.  Most attorneys who are experienced at handling medical malpractice cases work on a contingency- fee basis, which means you don’t have to pay any fees upfront.

Thanks to our friends and contributors from the Greenberg Law Offices for their insight into medical malpractice.


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