Study Finds Misdiagnoses Cause 800,000 Annual Deaths and Disabilities
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can cause irreparable harm, leaving medical conditions to worsen while treatment is delayed or entirely missed. A misdiagnosis lawyer can help those who have been harmed by a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis recover compensation for their injuries and other damages.
At Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC, our lawyers represent clients in medical malpractice misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis in Utah, including Salt Lake City. If you believe you’re the victim of medical malpractice, we encourage you to contact our law firm today.
About Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
Both misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are types of medical malpractice. Misdiagnosis is when a medical condition is diagnosed incorrectly and delayed diagnosis is when the correct condition is diagnosed but not within a reasonable amount of time.
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis may occur when a doctor fails to order the appropriate tests, misreads tests, or otherwise fails to meet the expected standard of care.
Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis Are Serious Problems
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis of health conditions are serious problems that can have severe consequences for patients; these types of medical malpractice affect thousands of Americans every year.
One recent study published by BMJ Quality & Safety estimates nearly 800,000 Americans die or become permanently disabled because of the misdiagnosis of dangerous diseases. This number may even be higher since some people may never find out that they were misdiagnosed.
The science journal STAT further highlights the numbers in the study from BMJ Quality & Safety. STAT states that of the nearly 800,000 people who suffer serious harm due to medical malpractice misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis, roughly 424,000 people are permanently disabled and about 371,000 people die every year as a result of a misdiagnosis.
When Is It Medical Malpractice?
In order to be considered medical malpractice, a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis must cause some form of harm to the patient as well as result from a doctor’s failure to meet a reasonable standard of care.
A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis may be considered malpractice when a doctor was negligent in taking a full medical history from a patient, failed to order the right tests based on the patient’s symptoms, failed to properly read tests results, or refer a patient to a specialist. The patient then either doesn’t receive the correct treatment or doesn’t receive treatment in a timely manner, causing their medical condition to worsen or become fatal.
Seeking Compensation for Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
Those who have become more ill or suffered injury due to a doctor’s negligence in diagnosing a medical condition may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and other damages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Long-term care expenses
- Rehabilitation or physical therapy
- Loss of wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Pain and suffering
Schedule a Consultation
If your doctor misdiagnosed you or gave you a delayed diagnosis and you subsequently suffered harm, you may be able to seek damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit. To discuss the details of your medical malpractice claim, please contact our practice to schedule a consultation with our Utah medical malpractice attorneys.
