Medical misdiagnoses can have serious consequences to patients, and unfortunately, they happen all the time. In fact, anywhere from 10% to 20% of diagnoses are wrong. Knowing that these misdiagnoses occur regularly gives people the awareness they need to get second opinions if something doesn’t feel right. It’s also important to know about medical misdiagnoses so that you’re aware that you can take action if you think that you’ve been harmed because of a misdiagnosis while getting treatment in Texas.
Types of misdiagnoses
There are a few ways that a person could be misdiagnosed. For instance, the diagnosis could be missed; the patient could be given an incorrect diagnosis; or the diagnosis was delayed inappropriately, such as when someone should have been diagnosed with cancer. While a misdiagnosis can happen anywhere, they’re most commonly occur in physician offices and clinics. It’s not entirely clear why private offices and clinics are the most common places to get misdiagnosed, but it’s possible that it’s because it’s less likely that a small clinic will have someone on staff who is looking for possible misdiagnoses and treatment plans that could lead to a malpractice suit.
Is a misdiagnosis always malpractice?
Sometimes, misdiagnoses are considered malpractice, but sometimes, they’re not. Additionally, it can be very difficult to prove medical malpractice occurred. When doing so, there are two main things that a person has to show to win the lawsuit. First of all, he or she has to prove that the standard treatment for a particular ailment wasn’t provided. The second thing that an individual must demonstrate is that the doctor’s mistake caused him or her harm.
If you’re wondering if your doctor diagnosed you correctly, you should get a second opinion. And if you think your doctor misdiagnosed your illness and that the misdiagnosis has done you harm, you should seek legal help from an experienced medical malpractice attorney.
