Misdiagnosis Claims in Virginia

What Are Some Common Forms of Misdiagnosis in Virginia

Medical mistakes can happen, but not all require legal action. However, some forms of misdiagnosis are more common than others and may fall under medical malpractice law.

Failure to diagnose

Failure to diagnose occurs when a medical provider fails to make a diagnosis on a patient. It can occur for various reasons, including not considering a patient’s self-reported symptoms, misreading test results, not ordering the proper tests, or even just writing off a patient.

Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosis occurs when the wrong diagnosis of a health issue or injury is given. Negligent misdiagnosis is one of the most common forms of medical malpractice. While sometimes a misdiagnosis does not cause harm to the patient, it actually can lead to wrongful death. Studies have found that 40,000 to 80,000 people die each year in the United States because of a diagnosis error.

Often, this occurs because of a negligent failure to meet medical standards for testing and treating conditions.

Delayed diagnosis

A delayed or late diagnosis under personal injury law occurs when a medical professional does not provide a diagnosis in an acceptable period, leading to patient harm and sometimes death.

When a proper diagnosis is not given promptly, the patient will not get the appropriate care immediately, leading to decreased treatment efficacy. This can cause death, long-term disability, diminished quality of life, and even death.

What Conditions Are Most Commonly Misdiagnosed in Virginia?

Some medical conditions are more likely to be misdiagnosed than others. This is because the symptoms may overlap with other conditions or a thorough medical history was not taken, leading to incorrect treatment and care.

Studies suggest some of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions that can cause harm include:

• Vascular Events: Stroke is the leading vascular event that is most commonly misdiagnosed. Following stroke is a heart attack, blood clots in the legs and lungs) aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, and a blockage of the blood supply to internal organs known as arterial thromboembolism.
• Infections: Sepsis is the most misdiagnosed infection, followed by meningitis and encephalitis, spinal infection, pneumonia, and endocarditis.
• Cancer: Lung cancer diagnosis was also common in misdiagnosis studies. Following lung cancer were breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer.

According to the Johns Hopkins study, these conditions lead to three-fourths of all serious harm from misdiagnoses. When a healthcare professional gives an unnecessary treatment for a condition a patient doesn’t have or fails to give treatment in a proper period, patients can suffer from physical pain, emotional distress, and even death.

Patients who have suffered from any of the conditions above and received a delay in diagnosis or an error in diagnosis and medical treatment should call Regan Zambri Long. We will help you seek compensation for the devastating consequences of medical error.

How Does Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose Occur?

Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose can happen by accident, meaning the medical practitioner did not intend for the error to occur. If another doctor had been on the case, they likely would have come up with the same answers due to the complexity of the health conditions. But in other cases, these medical errors occur due to negligence.

Misinterpretation of Diagnostic Tests

Doctors are expected to understand and be able to interpret medical tests and lab data. But when a doctor misinterprets a test, the result can be catastrophic. Misinterpretation of diagnostic tests can occur due to:

• Lab or reporting error
• Equipment error
• Not following the “normal” ranges
• The test not being appropriate for the symptom

If a diagnostic test was not read correctly, and the patient suffered harm, they may be entitled to compensation with a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Failure to Order Necessary Tests

Sometimes, the wait to get seen for a medical test can be long, but it’s better to get the test delayed than never to have the chance to get it at all. When a doctor fails to order the necessary tests to make a diagnosis or give treatment, patients are entitled to legal action.

When Misdiagnosis Is Medical Malpractice in Virginia

Misdiagnosis is considered medical malpractice when it can be proven that another physician placed in similar circumstances would have been able to come up with the correct diagnosis.

To prove misdiagnosis and have a successful medical malpractice claim, medical injury victims and their medical malpractice attorneys must show:

• There was a doctor-patient relationship, and the patient was owed a duty of care.
• The doctor or health care provider breached that duty by failing to provide the standard of care required.
• The breach of duty caused the patient to suffer harm.
• The harm leads to actual damage.

You will need an expert medical witness to prove medical misdiagnosis and confirm the wrong steps in the patient’s diagnosis. Because of the two-year statute of limitations, patients must move quickly and consult with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.

Contact a Virginia Misdiagnosis Lawyer at Regan Zambri Long

If a medical professional failed to provide a diagnosis or wrongly diagnosed a medical condition and you suffered, call the Virginia medical malpractice attorneys of Regan Zambri Long.

The statute of limitations for a medical malpractice lawsuit, including misdiagnosis, is two years from the date the medical negligence occurred.

Time moves quickly, and evidence may become more difficult to obtain as time passes. Do not delay; call the Virginia misdiagnosis lawyers of Regan Zambri Long to schedule your no-obligation, confidential consultation.