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When a doctor incorrectly assesses a patient's condition and makes the wrong diagnosis, serious complications can occur. Despite the trust patients place in their physicians to make informed, accurate decisions about healthcare issues, experts estimate that doctors misdiagnose up to 20% of fatal illnesses. Even when the illness is not fatal, misdiagnosis can result in delayed or inappropriate treatment, turning a routine condition into a much more serious medical problem.
The medical malpractice attorneys at Marks & Harrison have worked with many clients injured by misdiagnosis, and we recognize the very serious risk it represents to public health. If you have suffered injury or illness as a result of misdiagnosis, contact our Richmond medical malpractice lawyers today at 1-800-283-2202 for a free, no-obligation, and confidential consultation, or submit a Case Evaluation online. We have offices throughout Virginia, including Richmond, Hopewell, Petersburg, Charlottesville, Tappahannock, Louisa and Staunton.
Misdiagnosis can come in many forms, caused by multiple factors, including:
- Failure to take a complete medical history
- Failure to perform a thorough medical examination
- Failure to order or properly read tests
- Failure to develop and review a patient follow-up plan
- Lack of medical knowledge
- Failure to communicate to other medical staff responsible for the patient's treatment
The repercussions of misdiagnosis are very serious – affecting available treatment options and the patient's long-term medical outlook. Some of the more common instances of misdiagnosis include:
- Limited treatment for conditions not caught during early, more treatable stages of disease. Colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, heart attack and appendicitis respond better to treatment when diagnosed quickly. Any delay in diagnosis reduces treatment options and survival rates.
- Unnecessary pain and poor healing caused by misdiagnosed fractures. Broken bones may be mistaken for sprains if doctors fail to perform complete examinations and order tests such as X-rays. When bone fractures aren't treated, the patient may experience severe pain, and the break may not heal properly.
- Missed signs of distress during labor and delivery. All doctors involved in labor and delivery procedures are trained to recognize common signs of fetal and maternal distress. Failing to observe or understand the warning signs may result in injury or death to the mother or the baby.
In Virginia, misdiagnosis cases present special challenges to the victim seeking legal compensation. Juries in Virginia are more likely to award lower amounts of damages to malpractice victims than juries in other states. A 2005 study conducted by the Virginia Bureau of Insurance found that the average medical malpractice verdict in Virginia was just under $300,000. Injured victims who require years of rehabilitative therapy or who are unable to resume working can quickly incur more than $300,000 in medical expenses.
If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to a medical misdiagnosis, you have the right to seek legal action against the medical provider – but your ability to recover damages for your injuries may depend on the quality of your legal representation. You need an experienced attorney with a track record of successful verdicts and settlements to effectively argue on your behalf.
The lawyers at Marks & Harrison understand Virginia malpractice law – and we know how to thoroughly investigate and prepare misdiagnosis cases to clearly present the facts to a jury or insurance company. We understand that your injuries directly impact the future, for both you and your family. That's why at Marks & Harrison, we place our clients’ interests above all else – and we have been helping people just like you since 1911.
Let our lawyers analyze your case and advise whether you are entitled to compensation. If we don't think you need an attorney, we will tell you right away. Contact us today by calling toll free at 1-800-283-2202. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also submit a Case Evaluation online.
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