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Covington Misdiagnosis Lawyers

When your diagnosis is critical for proper treatment, you trust that your doctor will take the correct steps to ensure that you are properly diagnosed and therefore, properly treated. That’s why discovering that you were misdiagnosed or that your doctor delayed your diagnosis is such a frustrating experience, especially if your ability to be treated has suffered or is now unavailable.

At The Lawrence Firm, PSC, we are experienced in complex litigation related to Cincinnati and Covington medical malpractice claims arising out of misdiagnoses. At both our Kentucky and Ohio offices, we take all of our injury claims on a contingency basis, so you will not have to pay attorney fees until we are successful in your case. If you’re a victim of medical misdiagnosis, contact our experienced misdiagnosis lawyers right away to see what we are able to do for you.

Commonly Misdiagnosed Medical Conditions

Though there is essentially an unlimited number of ways in which a medical professional might misdiagnose you, there do seem to be some conditions that are more commonly misdiagnosed than others. Some of these conditions include:

  • Acute myocardial infarction, or heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Aneurysm, including aortic aneurysm
  • Pulmonary embolism, or blood clots
  • Appendicitis
  • Infection, or sepsis
  • Diabetes
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Meningitis
  • Tuberculosis
  • Breast cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Cervical cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Lung cancer

Wrongful Diagnosis and Negligent Diagnosis

Wrongful or negligent diagnosis claims are distinct from failure to diagnose or delayed diagnosis claims because they refer to the incorrect identification of a medical disease rather than delaying one or not making one at all. However, these claims are similar in the fact that a negligent diagnosis can still lead to significant health problems and even death. Most wrongful diagnosis claims come from doctors who diagnose a patient with a disease that is non-existent, base a diagnosis on a false negative, or underplay a patient’s symptoms. 

An example of a wrongful or negligent diagnosis may be a doctor concluding that a nursing mother with inflammation of the breast tissue is suffering from mastitis rather than the true cause, which is breast cancer. Not only can the mother suffer adverse effects from the unneeded antibiotics that the doctor may prescribe to her, but the misdiagnosed cancer can lead to a delay in cancer treatment which in turn can worsen the condition significantly.

Failure to Diagnose Malpractice

Failure to diagnose and delayed diagnosis occur when a doctor fails to diagnose a patient’s medical condition or otherwise unnecessarily delays a diagnosis. These claims typically result in the patient developing more significant health problems as a result of the doctor’s failure to address the patient’s illness in a timely manner. This can prove as equally devastating as a misdiagnosis, as a delayed or undiagnosed condition can deprive the patient of early identification and potentially life-saving treatment. 

For example, if a doctor fails to diagnose an early stage of cancer, the delay may cause the severity of cancer to increase, resulting in a higher stage with a much less likely chance of treatment or survival. 

What are the Consequences of a Medical Misdiagnosis?

Some studies suggest that between 40,000 to 80,000 patients die each year in the United States as a result of medical malpractice and misdiagnosis, while others conclude that as many as 250,000 annual deaths occur as a result. According to the Yale School of Medicine and a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, however, the number of preventable deaths due to medical errors in the United States sits at just over 22,000 per year. Regardless of the disparity between conflicting studies, the average number of preventable deaths across the nation is far too high.

Aside from the terrifying aspect of a misdiagnosis leading to death, medical and hospital mistakes can also result in a patient’s condition deteriorating, limit one’s ability to achieve proper treatment and recovery, and cause unnecessary mental distress. What’s more, victims face the repercussions of having wasted time and money on tests and treatments. This may include unnecessary surgery, exposure to risky and dangerous treatments (such as chemo or radiation), and an overall higher risk of complications and death. It’s also possible that the patient will experience adverse effects as a result of taking superfluous medications. 

What To Do When a Doctor Misdiagnosed You

As you can see, the potential consequences of a misdiagnosis can be devastating, as your ability to access proper treatment and make a full recovery become severely limited. Not only that, but failure to diagnose a condition or the false characterization of an illness can lead to permanent injuries or even death. If you have been or believe you have been misdiagnosed, the first thing you should do is seek immediate medical treatment to correctly identify and treat your current illness as well as any illness that occurred as a result of your previous doctor’s misdiagnosis. It is imperative that you inform your new doctor of any and all of your previous doctor’s actions.

The next thing you should do is contact a Cincinnati or Covington medical malpractice attorney right away. Your medical misdiagnosis lawyers can help you in building a strong case against the responsible physician(s). At The Lawrence Firm, we are experienced with claims involving the misdiagnosis of life-threatening conditions, including but not limited to meningitis, cancer, bowel obstructions, sepsis, hemorrhage, infection, heart attacks and stroke, as well as delays in treatment and care that can be catastrophic or even fatal for victims of this type of medical malpractice.

How Do You Prove Misdiagnosis?

Misdiagnosis can be particularly difficult to prove, as there are a number of regulations in place that protect medical professionals from malpractice lawsuits. However, it is certainly not impossible, especially with the help of a skilled team of misdiagnosis lawyers.

In order to bring forward a successful claim, it’s necessary to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the physician failed to uphold the proper medical standard of care. This simply refers to the requirement that doctors must provide a level of care that is equivalent or exceeds what would be expected of another physician in the same situation and with the same level of expertise. Essentially, you must show that your doctor violated the standard of care that any similarly qualified practitioner might provide. 

In order for courts to consider a misdiagnosis a form of medical malpractice, the following things must be made evident: 

  1. The patient was placed in the care of said physician for a condition, symptoms, and/or treatment.
  2. The physician deviated from the appropriate medical standard of care.
  3. The physician’s negligence resulted in the patient’s injury or illness.
  4. The injury or illness led to specific damages.
    1. Physical pain and suffering
    2. Mental anguish
    3. Unnecessary medical expenses
    4. Lost work and earning capacity
    5. Death 

At The Lawrence Firm, our attorneys will assist you in finding out exactly what happened leading up to the misdiagnosis and how it affected you. Further, we will work to ensure you obtain the appropriate amount of compensation to aid in your recovery. We will contact the necessary witnesses, collect medical documentation, consult with experts and meticulously prepare your case for trial. Rest assured, our attorneys are dedicated to seeing our clients compensated for the negligence that caused them harm.

Call the Cincinnati and Covington Misdiagnosis Lawyers at The Lawrence Firm Today

If you or a loved one has suffered as the result of a misdiagnosis, our misdiagnosis lawyers in Kentucky and Ohio can assist you in asserting your rights and fighting for justice on your behalf. The legal team at The Lawrence Firm is experienced in a variety of medical malpractice claims, including misdiagnosis, anesthesia mistakes, medication errors, surgical errors, and much more. We are dedicated to seeing our clients recover damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, future care needs, and wrongful death. While we will strive for achieving a significant settlement outside of court, we are not afraid to take your case to trial. 

If you have more questions about medical malpractice or if you seek representation for your case, schedule a consultation with one of our experienced wrongful diagnosis attorneys today. You can call us toll-free at 800-698-4054 or fill out our online intake form (found below).

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You Pay No Fees Unless We Win!

We are happy to offer a free consultation to evaluate your case. If you hire us as your legal counsel, we will represent you on a contingency-fee basis. You will pay no attorneys’ fees unless we recover financial damages.