Proving Diagnostic Errors – Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Sarasota
October 8, 2015
Diagnostic errors are one of the biggest risks patients face when they go to the doctor. Data from a recent study published by BS News suggest that five percent of adults seeking outpatient treatment are misdiagnosed. This alone amounts to 12 million diagnostic errors every year. The Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Sarasota (Jodat Law Group), are your go to attorneys.
In the hospital setting, the situation is even worse. Some studies suggest that as many as 20 percent of hospital patients fall victim to misdiagnosis, with roughly five percent of diagnostic errors leading to life-threatening, disabling, or fatal conditions. Fatal errors in the ICU alone are estimated to account for 40,000 hospital deaths every year.
Unfortunately, these numbers are only estimates because many instances of misdiagnoses and other forms of medical malpractice go unreported.
Are You a Victim of a Medical Diagnostic Error?
If you believe that you may be suffering due to a medical diagnostic error, it is important to seek help as soon as possible. In order to obtain maximum compensation for your losses, you need to act quickly to seek proper medical care and enforce your legal rights. Contact your medical malpractice lawyers in Sarasota, Jodat Law Group today for the results you deserve. There are two primary types of medical errors that can cause serious harm to patients. These are:
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to diagnose
With a misdiagnosis, your doctor tells you that you have one medical condition when you really have another. This can be dangerous for two reasons: (i) you do not receive treatment for your illness or injury, and (ii) you receive unnecessary treatment for a condition you do not have.
With a failure to diagnose, your doctor simply overlooks the signs and symptoms of your illness or injury. Failure to diagnose can result from a doctor rushing between patients, or errors such as misreading an x-ray, misreading lab results, or downplaying the severity of a patient’s obvious symptoms.
Evidence of a Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose
Unfortunately, as someone without medical training, it can be difficult to know if a doctor has made a diagnostic mistake. If you suspect a misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose, the best thing you can do is seek a second opinion. If you see a second doctor and he or she disagrees with your original physician’s opinion, this may suggest that your original physician made a diagnostic error.
Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Sarasota recommend examining these diagnostic errors:
- Your condition does not improve after receiving treatment
- Your condition gets worse instead of better
- You start displaying new symptoms or suffering from conditions you were not experiencing before you went to the doctor
While not all diagnostic errors are grounds for a medical malpractice claim, many are. The question is whether your doctor’s error amounts to a failure to meet the appropriate standard of care. When you contact us for a free consultation, we can help you get the care you need and determine if you have a claim for compensation.
Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Sarasota – Jodat Law Group
At Jodat Law Group, we have decades of experience helping clients prove diagnostic errors and win the financial compensation they deserve.For Medical Malpractice, we have established relationships with other law firms that will represent you in these matters. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, contact us online or call (877) JODAT LAW today.