How Doctors can Miss a Deadly Diagnosis
Getting treatment for a serious condition in time can make the difference between a simple treatment and a complicated one; it can even make the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, patients are frequently diagnosed with the wrong illness, or sent home with incorrect reassurances that they are fine. This kind of error is especially likely (but does not exclusively occur) in emergency rooms.
If you have lost a loved one because a doctor failed to recognize a life-threatening condition, you could have grounds for a legal claim. If you choose to pursue it, you may be able to receive compensation for some of your losses. To learn more, call the Pennsylvania medical malpractice wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511.
How Doctors Miss Diagnoses
A missed diagnosis is not always evidence of medical malpractice. The question is whether a reasonable doctor would have made a certain diagnosis under the circumstances of the case. Sadly, there are many reasons that even well trained and reasonable doctors miss diagnoses, including:
- Non-specific symptoms. One set of symptoms can be shared by many different conditions. There is even a large degree of overlap between medical and psychological disorders. For example, panic attacks can resemble heart attacks and vice-versa.
- Rarity of an illness. Some doctors fail to recognize certain conditions simply because they have no experience with them. A rare condition may be very difficult to diagnose.
- Lack of objective tests. While some diagnoses can be confirmed with blood tests, brain scans, or other tests, some cannot. This leaves doctors with nothing to base their diagnoses on but the patient’s self-reported symptoms.
Sadly, missed diagnoses are not always understandable or unavoidable errors. They can also result from medical workers’ failure to pay attention or fully perform their jobs. If a member of your family has been killed by a healthcare provider’s mistakes, our experienced Pennsylvania missed diagnosis wrongful death attorneys can help.
Contact Us
Fatal acts of medical negligence should never be tolerated. To discuss your rights with a knowledgeable Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyer, contact Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511.