Medical Malpractice: Delayed Diagnosis
When seeking medical help, it is important that your condition is evaluated and treated with urgency. A delayed diagnosis can significantly inhibit the quality of care and treatment you receive. Physicians must be held accountable to a reasonably prompt diagnosis to provide optimal care. However, if a doctor does not meet such expectations, the patient may not receive proper treatment for their condition. If you or a loved one has experienced harm due to your physician’s delayed diagnosis, be sure to get an attorney on your side.
In proving malpractice in the instance of a slow diagnosis, you will require proof of three items:
- Your Doctor-Patient Relationship
- Negligence
- Harm caused by negligence
Doctor-Patient Relationship:
The doctor-patient relationship is established upon examination or treatment. A patient, in a case of delayed diagnosis, must prove this relationship’s existence. It is not necessary, however, to prove negligence, that a relationship was maintained for the entirety of the delay.
Negligence:
A doctor’s actions are considered negligent when they have strayed from the standard of care: the legal term for expected actions of any other competent doctor in a similar situation. This standard and a particular doctor’s wrongdoings are typically determined by a board of physicians, who are experts on the matter.
Harm Caused by Negligence:
Patient harm can take multiple forms. Listed below are some common examples:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical Bill Losses
- Inability to work
- No matter the type of damage, it is important to the case that it was caused by delayed
diagnosis.
Medical malpractice cases are difficult to navigate and often accompanied by a number of rules and medical technicalities. If you have been harmed by a negligent delay in your physician’s diagnosis, we recommend that you seek legal guidance. With understanding and sympathy for your suffering, we will fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your legal concerns regarding a medical experience.