Time is of the utmost importance when you have a potential health issue. When a medical professional waits too long to diagnose a treatment due to negligence, it can be a form of medical malpractice. However, in order to pursue a successful claim there are two factors that must be proven: the doctor was negligent in his delayed diagnosis, and this negligence resulted in further injury to the patient.
Delayed or late diagnosis is one of the most common types of diagnosis error. In order to determine if a medical professional was negligent in a delayed diagnosis, their “differential diagnosis” method must be evaluated. After assessing the patient, the doctor builds an initial list of possible diagnoses. The doctor then analyzes each possible diagnosis by conducting further medical examinations and tests. If everything goes as planned, the doctor will have enough information to determine the correct diagnosis at the end of the process.
Negligence occurs when a doctor fails to perform any part of the “differential diagnosis” method. This failure can involve conducting the wrong tests, the contamination of lab results, faulty equipment, improper procedures, or any other part of the process that needs to be redone because of error. Because of these setbacks, the doctor ultimately fails to diagnose a treatment in a timely manner.
For a successful medical malpractice case, it must also be proved that the doctor’s negligence is tied directly to the further harm of the patient. A delayed diagnosis can lead to a progression in the patient’s condition, which may result in a more severe treatment and a longer recovery time. If the delay of treatment is too long, it may tragically result in the patient’s death. A patient may also experience additional stress, physical pain, medical expenses and anxiety due to a delayed diagnosis.
If you have been involved in a delayed diagnosis, the Wichita attorneys of Prochaska, Howell & Prochaska LLC have the talent and experience necessary to win you fair compensation.
