People in Delaware and across the country trust their doctors to examine them and diagnose the condition that led to them making an appointment for a consultation. However, frequent reports of wrong or delayed diagnoses show that doctors are human and sometimes make mistakes. Nevertheless, if such errors harmed their patients, they might be financially responsible for any damages that occur.
Misdiagnosis happens if the doctor misreads tests or guesses wrong when diagnosing the patient’s condition. Doctors have to uphold the prescribed medical standard of care, and if they fail to do that, the patient might have a viable medical malpractice claim.
The following circumstances are examples of cases in which those standards were not upheld:
- A doctor diagnosed the wrong condition and treated the patient for that illness, causing additional harm without treating the actual disease.
- A doctor provided treatment for kidney stones instead of appendicitis, risking the patient’s life.
- A doctor provided incorrect treatment, making the actual condition worse.
- A doctor who failed to diagnose any illness, exacerbating the condition by not providing the necessary treatment.
The following illnesses are often misdiagnosed because the symptoms could also apply to other conditions:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Parkinson’s
- Lyme disease
- Lupus
Medical malpractice is a complicated field of the law. It falls under the umbrella of personal injury claims. A medical malpractice lawsuit can be filed in a Delaware civil court if a misdiagnosis caused injury or the death of a loved one. Most individuals in such situations seek legal counsel to make sure their rights are protected.
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