Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis means that a person with one medical condition was diagnosed by a doctor with another disorder they do not have. According to 2019 reports by DocPanel, around 12 million adults receive a misdiagnosis yearly. That’s 1 out of every 20 adults seeking outpatient care. A misdiagnosis that is not corrected can lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments, physical and emotional pain, increased costs, and even loss of life. Some of these treatments can even worsen the proper condition that the patient faces.

When a doctor’s diagnosis error leads to incorrect treatment, delayed treatment or no treatment, a patient’s condition can be made much worse, and they may even die. There are many ways a person can tell if they have been misdiagnosed. Their symptoms overlap with multiple conditions; your doctor didn’t get all the information, the patient didn’t receive proper testing, and the doctor’s treatment is ineffective. If you have experienced any of these, it is best to get a second opinion to ensure that the first doctor didn’t diagnose you correctly. In these situations, your second opinion may differ from the initial diagnosis. If this is the case, you may have received a misdiagnosis.

If you have experienced any of this with your medical health professional, you might have a case for misdiagnosis. Come to Castel & Hall, LLP., where we can help determine if the misdiagnosis is severe enough to receive compensation from the hospital that misdiagnosed you.