Washington, D.C. Diagnosis Error Lawyer

Each year, a staggering number of medical malpractice lawsuits stem from misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and failure to diagnose. In fact, statistics show that 12 million people are misdiagnosed annually in the U.S. When doctors fail to make an accurate and timely diagnosis, it is the patient who suffers the consequences. If you were harmed because of a diagnosis error, contact a Washington, D.C. diagnosis error lawyer from Simeone & Miller, LLP for help today.

Diagnosis Error Lawyer | On Your Side

At Simeone & Miller, LLP, we believe that doctors should be held to the highest standard of care. If you or a loved one was harmed by the negligence of a medical professional, we encourage you to discuss your rights and legal options with a lawyer. Our firm can help you determine whether or not you have grounds to pursue compensation. If have suffered the consequences of a diagnostic error, contact a Washington, D.C. medical malpractice lawyer at Simeone & Miller for a FREE initial consultation.

Examples of Failure to Diagnose

If your doctor failed to diagnose a serious illness or disease, like cancer, you must be able to establish that your doctor breached the applicable “standard of care” – in other words, that they failed to act reasonably under the circumstances. For this reason, you should contact Simeone & Miller, LLP if you believe you have a case.

Doctors may negligently fail to diagnose a patient if they:

• Fail to screen the patient for a particular condition
• Fail to refer the patient to a medical specialist
• Fail to order lab tests or misinterpret the results
• Fail to consult the patient about their symptoms
• Fail to investigate potential causes of an illness

Common Types of Misdiagnosis

There are several different forms of misdiagnosis, including:

• Equivocal Diagnosis: With this type of misdiagnosis, or rather failure to diagnose, a person is never informed of a definite diagnosis. These are extremely ill patients that might need treatment as soon as possible but are denied access to those treatments due to a lack of diagnoses. This can result in worsening conditions.
• False Negative Misdiagnosis: With this type of misdiagnosis, a person is told a disease is not present when it actually does exist – such as cancer. These types of misdiagnoses leave patients at extreme risk because they may not be receiving the type of treatment that is absolutely necessary for their health.
• False Positive Misdiagnosis: With this type of misdiagnosis, a person is notified that a disease exists in the body when it does not. These types of misdiagnoses are dangerous because they allow patients to be treated for diseases they do not have, which can be even more detrimental to their health.

Can I Sue My Doctor for Misdiagnosis?

If you believe that you were misdiagnosed by your doctor, you must be able to establish three important factors in order to prove medical malpractice. First, you must be able to show that a doctor-patient relationship existed (i.e. the doctor had an obligation to treat you). Next, you must be able to prove that your doctor was negligent, or that they failed to act competently. Finally, you will need to establish that your doctor’s negligence resulted in harm.

A misdiagnosis can harm the patient in several different ways:

• It can result in more aggressive treatment than was necessary
• It can expose the patient to harmful treatment (such as radiation)
• It can result in unnecessary or risky surgical procedures
• It can increase the likelihood of the patient suffering complications
• It can increase the likelihood of patient death or near-death
• It can result in additional, and unnecessary, medical expenses

Contact a Diagnosis Error Lawyer for a Free Consultation

If you are suffering the consequences of a wrong diagnosis, contact an attorney as soon as possible. You may be awarded compensation for the negligence of your physician, unnecessary medical procedures, or neglected treatments. Contact the Washington, D.C. misdiagnosis lawyers at Simeone & Miller, LLP to get started.