Inadequate diagnoses occur when a doctor makes the wrong diagnosis of a patient's medical condition or makes the correct diagnosis after an unacceptable delay.
Inadequate diagnoses occur when a doctor makes the wrong diagnosis of a patient’s medical condition or makes the correct diagnosis after an unacceptable delay. Either way, the patient does not receive a timely and accurate diagnosis, which may make his or her illness more difficult to treat. A doctor who makes an inadequate diagnosis may be liable for medical malpractice.
Wrongful Diagnosis vs. Delayed Diagnosis
The two main types of inadequate diagnoses are misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. Both are significant medical errors that can harm patients.
Misdiagnosis or Incorrect Diagnosis
In a misdiagnosis or incorrect diagnosis, the doctor diagnoses the patient with the incorrect condition or fails to make a timely diagnosis. For instance, a patient visits his or her doctor with chest pain. After the doctor performs a few tests, he or she assures the patient it is a minor issue—acid reflux or indigestion.
The patient, relieved, returns home and ignores any further pain. A few days later, the patient is climbing a flight of stairs when his or her chest tightens up. The patient collapses, then awakens in the hospital to learn he or she had a heart attack.
In this situation, the doctor made a wrongful diagnosis, which led to the patient suffering a heart attack that he or she may have been able to avoid with a correct diagnosis and early intervention.
Delayed Diagnosis
In a delayed diagnosis, the doctor makes the correct diagnosis, but only after an unacceptable delay. The challenge in holding a doctor liable for medical malpractice for a delayed diagnosis is proving the doctor had enough information to have made the correct diagnosis earlier.
Inadequate Diagnoses and Medical Malpractice
To hold a doctor liable for medical malpractice based on an inadequate diagnosis, the plaintiff must demonstrate three things:
- By making an inadequate diagnosis, the doctor failed to follow the standard of care.
- The doctor’s failure caused the patient to suffer injuries.
- The patient incurred damages because of his or her injuries.
Free Case Evaluation With a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis may be considered malpractice. A medical malpractice attorney from Newsome | Melton can help. For a free case evaluation, call us today at 888-526-8947.
Inadequate Diagnoses - Frequently Asked Questions
Whenever one visits a medical clinic, hospital, or other related facility, they run the risk of acquiring a hospital acquired infection, which is another term for an infection that one picked up or developed within a medical unit such as a hospital. Studies have shown that up to five percent of patients who enter a
Read More
You can often find out if a doctor has been sued for malpractice before. At Medical Malpractice Help, we support the rights of patients to learn as much as possible about a doctor before agreeing to treatment. Our medical malpractice lawyers can help you conduct research on your doctor to determine if they have a prior
Read MoreInadequate Diagnoses - News Articles
In 2010 Matthew and Danielle Cremisio made the biggest decision of their lives. They wanted to get pregnant, but soon realized that they would need professional assistance to do so. After some research they decided to hire CNY Fertility, a clinic located in Syracuse, NY. Before implantation the couple requested that CNY Fertility run a
Read More
On October 17, 2013, Terrea Holly found herself lightheaded. Her heart was racing and she was unable to catch her breath. As she rushed to the emergency room, run by the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), she tried to take deep breaths and to not panic. To her initial relief, after being seen by a DMC
Read More