Occurrences of wrongful diagnoses

Some people in New York suffer injury each year as a result of a completely incorrect diagnosis for a condition they do not have as opposed to the one for which they sought treatment in the first place. A wrong diagnosis can lead to improper treatment and medication being administered, while the real underlying condition gets worse as a result of lack of proper care.

There are several ways in which a patient can receive a wrongful diagnosis. He or she may be under-diagnosed, meaning the medical practitioner failed to correctly identify all of the health issues the patient is undergoing. The patient may likewise be over-diagnosed, which is what occurs when the practitioner diagnoses more conditions than those from which the patient is actually suffering. Some people may be incorrectly diagnosed for a medical problem when they are actually not suffering from any condition at all. Still others may be suffering from a condition and the doctor simply diagnoses a wrong one that has a similar set of symptoms.

Medical practitioners are encouraged to run more than one test. Running only one test greatly increases the risk of wrongful diagnosis of the cause of symptoms.

When people are seriously injured due to a physician's failure to diagnosis a condition, they may wish to speak with a medical malpractice attorney. Receiving unneeded medication or treatment can carry serious risks and cause injuries. Medical professionals who wrongfully diagnose patients may be held liable for their errors through a civil lawsuit. A medical malpractice attorney may be able to help a client by identifying all diagnostic errors and potential legal claims, identifying defendants and obtaining expert testimony.

Source: Right Diagnosis, "Completely Wrong Diagnosis", October 24, 2014