Monday, February 8, 2016

Misdiagnosis or Failure to Diagnose can be Deemed as Medical Malpractice

Thousands of people are affected each year due to medical malpractice or hospital neglect. For the most part, medical malpractice happens when a physician injures a patient due to negligence. There are many types of malpractice suits. Misdiagnosis, surgery errors, childbirth injuries, wrong medicine administration, and anesthesia related injuries provide grounds for medical malpractice.

Misdiagnosis is a leading cause for malpractice suits and Fairbanks, Alaska medical malpractice lawyers look for this mistake all of the time. There are instances when a doctor fails to pinpoint the symptoms to a particular disorder.

Often times a physician fails to prescribe proper tests to aid in diagnosis. In addition, doctors sometimes do not read test results properly so that a proper course of treatment to alleviate the symptoms can be provided. This is sometimes fatal for critical patients such as those ailing from cancer. Misdiagnosis often causes fatal delays leading to severe injuries and even death.


A Glaring Case of Medical Negligence

In a recent case in Fairbanks, Alaska, a patient complained of having difficulty in swallowing. Additionally, he suffered from a sore throat. The attending doctor ordered a throat scan where polyps were discovered at the base of the tongue. The polyps were subsequently removed and the doctor proclaimed him fit. However, in the following months the discomfort and pain continued but the doctor attributed the pain to the operation.

However, when the person almost choked while drinking orange juice and was taken to an emergency room a tumor was found at the base of the voice box or larynx. The doctor said that as the tumor was further down and so he had missed it while running the scans. The patient is since receiving treatment for esophageal cancer but has lost critical time due to the delay in diagnosis. This could be a potential case of malpractice and Fairbanks, Alaska medical malpractice attorneys are ready to pounce.

If you need legal help for a medical malpractice situation you need to go right here: medical-malpractice.USAttorneys. Give us a call. We can help you find a legal representative. If you are waiting for the hospital or doctor to apologize you will be waiting for a long time.

What is a diagnosis error?

The doctor has the critical job to recognize signs of diseases. Additionally, physicians must be able to spot the risk factors that can lead to further deterioration of a patient’s health in future.

Alaska medical malpractice lawyers state that diagnosis errors happen when:
  • A doctor might not be able to make the connection between the symptoms that you are showing with a disorder and you do not receive treatment.
  • Often physicians treat patients for a condition when they must get treatment for a different ailment altogether, which is called misdiagnosis.
  • Delayed diagnosis happens when a physician fails to treat a patient fast enough.
The end results of these errors are further complications, death, and more injuries.

How can we prove malpractice?
  • To begin with, you must prove that the doctor had the duty to provide best medical care because you had a doctor patient relationship with the particular doctor. He/she was expected to perform with the same competence as any other doctor in the same field would have done.
  • His misdiagnosis or hospital neglect is a clear indication that a breach of duty happened.
  • You developed a serious injury.
  • Your injury was the direct outcome of the misdiagnosis.
Medical malpractice lawyers in Fairbanks, Alaska say that when a doctor does something by mistake but you do not suffer from a lasting side effect, you cannot file a suit if the problem is fixed by the doctor later on. Moreover, lawsuits cannot be brought when the doctor does everything in his/her power to prevent an injury but still the patient gets injured. Remember, you cannot file a malpractice suit if you have not divulged your past medical histories and habits honestly. So when a doctor asks you about your medical history you must give him/her proper details.

Most importantly, if you feel you are a victim of a doctor’s negligence or hospital neglect, speak with a medical malpractice lawyer in Alaska to evaluate your case before the statute of limitations kicks in. 

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