One of the most common reasons why medical malpractice cases are filed stems from misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis occurs when a medical professional delays in the diagnosis of a patient’s illness or injury, fails to diagnose the proper issue, or does not provide a diagnosis at all for a patient. Let’s take a brief look at misdiagnosis and how it can be prevented.
If you believe you’ve suffered a misdiagnosis, it’s best to trust your instincts and seek further medical evaluation. This can be done by returning to the doctor who misdiagnosed you or by seeking out an opinion from another doctor. You can also ask for a referral to a specialist. It’s important for you to take action. Don’t wait for your situation to get any worse.
You can prevent misdiagnosis from happening by doing the following:
- Speak with your doctor: Provide the doctor with as much information about your symptoms as possible.
- Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor questions. Make sure you ask the doctor to explain your situation as clearly as possible.
- Perform research: perform your own research into the diagnosis given. During research you might discover that you have been diagnosed improperly.
- Second opinion: Don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion from a different doctor or specialist. Even if you think your doctor did all he or she could, you can still seek a second opinion.
Do you feel you have suffered a misdiagnosis at the hands of your doctor in Kingsport? An experienced medical malpractice attorney can shed some light on your situation and help you understand what the legal process is in such a case.
Source: Healthline, “I Was Misdiagnosed: What Happens When Your Doctor Gets It Wrong,” accessed Dec. 22, 2017
