Medical Malpractice
Failure to Diagnose
Failure to diagnose a problem in a patient is just as
dangerous as any surgical error or prescription mistake.
If a patient is misdiagnosed, they may be forced to live
with a time-sensitive ailment such as cancer or a heart
problem, they could be subjected to incorrect or
unnecessary surgery, or they may be prescribed
medications that cause new conditions or complications.
Cancer Misdiagnosis
One of the most common forms of medical misdiagnosis
involves cancer, which is one of the leading causes of
death in the United States. Cancer misdiagnosis occurs
when medical providers attribute cancer symptoms to
other diseases or fail to test for cancer when obvious
signs are displayed.
When a cancer misdiagnosis occurs, the risk of death for
the patient increases dramatically. Not only does the
patient suffer from the effects of the cancer itself,
but also from the side effects of chemotherapy and
radiation. If the cancer is never detected, the patient
may suffer the ill effects of the disease and possibly
die.
There are many types of cancer that can be successfully
treated if diagnosed in a timely manner. This is
particularly applicable to
- Breast Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Renal-Kidney Cancer
When cancer is diagnosed early, the treatment and
patient survival rate increase significantly. Breast
cancer, for example, is the second leading cause of
cancer deaths in women today (after lung cancer), but
early detection can actually prevent the spread of the
cancer. When breast cancer is detected early and
confined to the breast, the five-year survival rate is
approximately 88%.
Since so many types of cancer are becoming more
treatable, early diagnosis is the most important key in
making a full recovery. Any amount of hesitation or
failure to diagnose can result in unnecessary
treatments, costs, lower survival rates, and even death.
Heart Disease Misdiagnosis
Heart attacks are among the leading causes of death in
the United States. Therefore, healthcare providers
should respond immediately and professionally to any
patient who displays the following symptoms:
- Chest pain — Most heart attacks involve discomfort in
the center of the chest that feels like uncomfortable
pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in upper body areas
— This can include pain
or numbness in one or both of the arms, back, neck, jaw
or stomach.
- Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs including cold sweats, nausea, or
lightheadedness.
Women who suffer a heart attack are more likely to
experience nausea and vomiting more acutely than other
symptoms, which often leads to women being misdiagnosed.
Females on average wait almost 25 minutes longer than
men for treatment.
If a heart attack is diagnosed early, treatments such as
clot busters can be administered that can save the
patient’s life. By detecting heart disease early,
patients can also be prevented from having to undergo
painful and expensive surgeries as well as living with a
constant regimen of prescription drugs.
Other Diseases
Along with cancer and heart disease, many other
serious illnesses are sometimes overlooked or
misdiagnosed by healthcare providers. Clogged arteries,
strokes, Lupus, Cushing disease and general infections
are some of the more common diseases or maladies that
may be overlooked.
Failure to diagnose a patient is a serious form of
medical malpractice. If you or someone you love has
suffered due to a medical provider’s failure to diagnose
a serious disease, the Kansas City, Missouri-based law
firm of Peterson & Associates can help you. Please
contact our experienced attorneys for a free
consultation by calling 816-LAW-FIRM or
click here to fill out an
online form.
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