Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis

Medical malpractice cases make up a large number of lawsuits that are filed in the Boston area. Among these suits, misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are a good percentage of the reasons that the suits were filed. When a physician fails to diagnose a condition, misdiagnoses a condition, or delays too long in making a diagnosis, the patient can suffer serious injuries or even death. Although a simple mistake in diagnosing a patient does not always constitute grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit, anyone involved in such  case should consult with a Boston medical malpractice lawyer.

Medical Malpractice Experience:

Misdiagnosis Lawyer

There are many steps to proving a case of medical malpractice due to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. The law will not hold doctors responsible in 100% of cases where a patient was misdiagnosed or the diagnosis was delayed. This is because no matter how diligent, careful, or experienced a medical professional is, unavoidable mistakes can still occur. Before a person can prove that a medical malpractice due to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis has occurred, he or she must show that:

  1. There was a doctor-patient relationship between the patient and the medical professional.
  2. The medical professional did not provide treatment in a prompt and efficient manner.
  3. The patient suffered an injury due to the negligence of the medical professional.

In proving that the medical professional was indeed negligent, one must remember that misdiagnosis is not always seen by the courts as negligence. If the medical professional did not act responsibly when determining treatment for the patient, then there may be a case of medical malpractice. However if the medical professional has done everything in his or her power to properly and quickly diagnose and treat the patient, and the illness does not match that which is commonly known to physicians, the there is no case of medical malpractice. A medical malpractice attorney can help you to differentiate between the two.