When a surgeon amputates the wrong limb, removing the healthy one and leaving the diseased, it makes the news. Everyone recognizes this as a case of medical malpractice. Another type of malpractice, failure to diagnose, gets little publicity even though it accounts for nearly 40 percent of all medical malpractice cases. If you have been harmed by a physician’s failure to diagnose a serious medical disease or condition, you need the assistance of an Orlando personal injury lawyer.
Common “Failure to Diagnose” Injury Claims
A medical malpractice claim of failing to diagnose a serious disease or condition is difficult to prove. Not only is it necessary to prove the physician failed to properly diagnose, you must also prove that the failure caused you harm. Some of the most common lawsuits involving a failure to diagnose include the failure to diagnose the following diseases:
- Breast cancer: A doctor tells a woman a lump is benign when in fact it is malignant.
- Lung cancer: The cancer is confused with other respiratory conditions.
- Colorectal cancer. If caught early, the prognosis is excellent. If diagnosis is not made soon enough, the survival chances decrease.
- Appendicitis: This is treatable with a simple surgical procedure. Failure to diagnose can result in a rupture leading to serious complications and even death.
- Heart attack: Stories abound about people who are told their chest pain is simply indigestion when they are actually having a heart attack.
The failure to diagnose can lead to serious medical complications, more aggressive and expensive treatment, permanent injury or disability, and even death. If you or someone you love has been the victim of a physician’s failure to diagnose, contact an Orlando personal injury lawyer who can help you pursue your claim so you can receive the compensation you deserve.
