Is Making the Wrong Diagnosis Medical Negligence?

If a doctor makes a wrong diagnosis, does that indicate medical negligence, hospital neglect, or medical malpractice? While this may be possible, the onus is on the plaintiff to prove certain things according to Little Rock, AR medical malpractice lawyers and there is none better than Sheila Campbell.

Medical negligence

As is the case with any other personal injury claim, the responsibility of providing evidence and proving that the healthcare professional was negligent, is always with the plaintiff. In a medical malpractice case, a court usually interprets negligence as a doctor’s failure in exercising the degree of skill and care in his/her chosen specialty. This is done by considering the advances in the medical profession as well as the resources available to the physician.

You are never more vulnerable when you are sick. If your doctor or anyone else in the hospital does not do their job when you were or are completely helpless someone should pay. The marvelous Little Rock, AR medical malpractice lawyer Sheila Campbell will know what to do. She can be found right here: http://www.sheilacampbelllaw.com/. 

Medical diagnosis

The term medical diagnosis signifies the identification of a problem that is medical in nature. If the patient’s condition is complicated, a doctor can only state that his/her diagnosis about the condition remains merely a professional opinion about until more tests are performed. For example, if the patient has a headache, additional tests are necessary before the doctor makes a final diagnosis, as a headache can be caused by various factors.

Is wrong diagnosis always an indication of negligence?

Central Arkansas medical malpractice attorneys such as Sheila Campbell know that as medical malpractice is in fact based on a healthcare professional’s negligence the doctor’s actions are evaluated against that of an average physician practicing the same specialty. For the most part, determining whether a diagnosis was negligent will depend on the nature of the victim’s condition. Misdiagnosis of a simple medical problem can be considered negligent while misdiagnosing extremely complex issues may not be deemed as negligence.

Legal professionals stress the fact that while evaluating if a physician was negligent in the diagnosis of a patient, every step that led to the doctor’s diagnosis is compared to the typical textbook procedures. The doctor’s official notes are reviewed in order to determine if he/she referred to the patient’s medical history to learn everything his or her past and current complaints.

The doctor’s actions are also evaluated to find out as to the tests that he/she ordered. If the physician failed to order a particular test that is normally ordered for a specific set of symptoms, that is evidence enough for medical negligence and hospital neglect. This is where Little Rock, AR medical malpractice lawyers will become involved much to the chagrin of the doctor and do not forget the patient too! You think the patient is ever happy this happened? Even if they prevail and come out on top financially in the end, two years later or perhaps, do you think they still would not just wish this would never happen to them?

Probably not. No matter what you will never be able to get the time back and the stress and pain that you had to experience cannot be taken back or eradicated. But this does not mean the other side should not pay and feel as much or more burden as you did.

The last and final step is to determine what the doctor did with every piece of information that he/she received. If all the information, right from the initial diagnosis to the secondary diagnosis, did not help solve the patient’s medical issues, then it can be construed as negligence or hospital neglect.

How were you harmed?

Even if the patient can show that the doctor is responsible for misdiagnosis, he/she shouldn’t file a case yet. A medical malpractice lawyer together with the expert medical witnesses should be convinced that an act of misdiagnosis caused further harm. Then the patient can go ahead and seek recompense for damages connected with the wrong diagnosis. These damages can include the extra medical expenses, pain and suffering the patient suffered, any permanent impairments and disabilities, a possible shortening of the patient’s life expectancy, and damages for the loss of enjoyment of life.

If you find yourself in such a situation, you need a Central Arkansas medical malpractice lawyer immediately to make sure your rights are protected and you are adequately compensated for your losses. Pick up the phone and call Sheila Campbell.