Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions That Lead to Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
When you are suffering from a health issue and seek the help of a medical professional, you expect that your condition will be diagnosed accurately and on time. While most healthcare providers do their best to provide patients and their families with accurate and timely diagnoses, errors can and do happen. Sometimes, patients are misdiagnosed. A misdiagnosis occurs when a medical professional incorrectly identifies a patient’s medical condition, resulting in the wrong diagnosis. Unfortunately, such a mistake can have life-altering consequences, such as unnecessary treatment, worsened health conditions, and even death.
When a healthcare provider misdiagnoses a patient, the patient or their family may have a malpractice claim. A malpractice claim alleges negligence or a breach of duty and seeks compensation for harm or damages. Below, we look at some of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions that lead to medical malpractice lawsuits.
- Cancer
Cancer is among the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses. Among the most common forms of cancer that are misdiagnosed include;
- Lung cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Bladder cancer
Delays in treating cancer can lead to the disease spreading and threatening a patient’s life.
- Heart Attack
A heart attack is another commonly misdiagnosed condition. It is not always easy to catch the symptoms of a cardiac event. In addition to chest pain, a person may experience dizziness, nausea, or pain in the stomach or arms. Heart attacks are often misdiagnosed in women because they usually experience less typical symptoms instead of the classic chest pain.
- Stroke
One study by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that stroke was the top cause of serious harm from misdiagnosis, with more than 17% of cases being misdiagnosed. The symptoms of a stroke can be misinterpreted as migraines, vertigo, alcohol intoxication, or epileptic seizures. A stroke misdiagnosis can result in long-term disability.
- Infections
Infections are another category of conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed. Some of the most commonly misdiagnosed infections include;
- Sepsis
- Lyme disease
- Pneumonia
- Meningitis
- UTI
When an infection is misdiagnosed, it can lead to serious complications, including organ damage and even death.
- Autoimmune Diseases
Commonly misdiagnosed autoimmune diseases include lupus and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These conditions can exhibit symptoms that mimic those of other conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, or fibromyalgia.
- Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary embolism occurs when an artery in the lungs is blocked. Symptoms can include chest pain and shortness of breath. This condition is commonly misdiagnosed because these symptoms overlap significantly with other conditions like asthma, heart attack, or pneumonia.
- Lyme Disease
This tick-borne illness, like many other diseases, is commonly misdiagnosed because of its non-specific symptoms. Lyme exhibits symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and neck pain, which can be associated with many other illnesses.
While some medical conditions may exhibit symptoms that mimic other conditions, doctors have a duty of care to provide an accurate diagnosis. A doctor must take all reasonable steps to identify the true cause of a patient’s symptoms, including analyzing the patient’s medical history and ordering adequate tests. If a doctor is unable to correctly diagnose a medical condition due to negligence, you may be able to pursue a malpractice claim and seek compensation for the harm suffered.
Contact Us for Legal Help
If a doctor misdiagnosed your condition in Towson or Baltimore County, you may have a legal claim. Contact our skilled Towson medical malpractice lawyer at Hardball Law for a case assessment.
Source:
hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2023/07/report-highlights-public-health-impact-of-serious-harms-from-diagnostic-error-in-us
