Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis Attorneys in Connecticut
If your doctor missed warning signs of a serious condition, we can help
We expect doctors to provide safe and effective treatment, and that starts with correctly diagnosing the medical condition they are treating. Diagnostic errors can be devastating because a delay in the correct diagnosis means a delay in treatment, allowing the problem to get worse in the intervening time. Patients who are misdiagnosed may also be forced to undergo treatment that is not medically necessary.
When physicians don’t follow standards of care when diagnosing and treating patients, we hold them accountable. If you’ve been harmed by a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, contact Walsh Woodard LLC today for a free consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney.
If you were misdiagnosed, contact an experienced attorney
Getting to the bottom of a medical misdiagnosis case is not an easy or simple task. Your attorney needs to thoroughly review the medical records and retain the right experts to determine the medical standard of care. We need to prove not only that you were misdiagnosed, but also that the misdiagnosis caused your condition to become significantly worse or otherwise led to harm. The defendant doctor and their malpractice insurance company will likely strongly contest your claim. We have the experience and resources to build a winning case and fight for your rights in negotiations and, if necessary, at trial. Give us a call or contact us online today for a free consultation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.
While doctors are not expected to immediately identify every medical condition with perfect accuracy, they are expected to follow standards of care when diagnosing patients. Examples of medical malpractice in the context of diagnosis include:
- Failing to thoroughly assess a patient and take all of their symptoms into account when reaching a diagnosis.
- Failing to order diagnostic tests that are medically indicated.
- Overlooking symptoms that should have been noticeable.
- Not consulting with an appropriate specialist to assist with a difficult diagnosis.
- Misinterpreting test results or overlooking test findings.
- Failing to consider alternative possible medical conditions (differential diagnosis) when medically indicated.
- Cancer misdiagnosis: Overlooking signs of cancer or failing to refer a patient to a specialist for further testing can lead to cancer being overlooked for months or years. Cancer misdiagnosis can be especially devastating because early intervention is so important to improve the likelihood of survival.
- Stroke misdiagnosis: Strokes are frequently misdiagnosed as migraines, seizures, psychiatric disorders, or metabolic conditions such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Immediate intervention is important to prevent permanent damage from a stroke, so even a short delay in diagnosis can be life-altering.
- Heart attack misdiagnosis: A heart attack may be misdiagnosed as acid reflux (heartburn), indigestion, bronchitis, pneumonia, or even just stress or anxiety. Failing to correctly diagnose a heart attack can be deadly.
- Sepsis: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when an infection spreads to the bloodstream. If left untreated, it can lead to organ failure and an extremely dangerous drop in blood pressure. Sepsis is often misdiagnosed as anemia, myocardial ischemia, internal bleeding, or heart disease.
- Pulmonary embolism: A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks an artery in the lung, which can be life-threatening if not treated properly. Pulmonary embolisms are often misdiagnosed as bronchitis, asthma, or other conditions that affect the heart and/or lungs, such as heart attack or lung cancer.
- Spinal cord injury: The spinal cord is the column of nerves that transmits signals from the brain to the rest of the body. Spinal cord injuries can cause partial or complete paralysis below the location of the injury. Unfortunately, injuries that threaten the spinal cord may be misdiagnosed as soft tissue injuries or other conditions that cause back pain. Timely diagnosis and treatment is often critical to a good recovery.
Our law firm handles medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t have to pay us out of pocket as we investigate and litigate the case. Our fee is a percentage of your eventual recovery; if you don’t win, you don’t pay us at all. We can explain the terms of our contingency fee during a free consultation.
