Medical Malpractice Claims: Failure To Diagnose
Doctors and other medical professionals are human, and sometimes they make mistakes. However, when a medical professional misdiagnoses a serious illness or medical condition, and the patient suffers serious harm as a result, it may present grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
The law firm of End, Hierseman & Crain, LLC, is dedicated to holding negligent medical professionals accountable for their actions. They are committed to helping injured patients and their family members pursue compensation due to medical errors.
When Is A Missed Diagnosis Considered Malpractice?
All cases involving a missed diagnosis are not equal. A medical professional may fail to diagnose a disease or condition initially, but a subsequent diagnosis may get it right, enabling the patient to seek treatment. In this example, it is unlikely that the patient has suffered much if any, lasting harm. End, Hierseman & Crain, LLC will provide candid feedback on the merits of your case so you understand how to move forward from a serious hospital injury.
Two main components must be met to successfully prevail on a failure to diagnose claim. The first is that the doctor failed to follow the accepted standard of care. In other words, did the doctor ask the appropriate questions when informed of your symptoms? Were the proper tests ordered based on your symptoms? If not, this can easily result in a missed diagnosis.
The second component is that some harm resulted from the missed diagnosis. For example, if a doctor failed to diagnose cancer based on a patient’s symptoms, delaying essential treatment until little can be done, then that patient would have suffered serious harm. Both a breach of the accepted standard of care and a resulting injury must be present to have a strong malpractice claim.
Learn More
If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered due to a missed diagnosis, call End, Hierseman & Crain, LLC, in Milwaukee at 414-278-8060 or contact us online. Their lawyers represent clients throughout Wisconsin.