Medical Malpractice: Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis NJ
It is common that a large number of medical malpractice lawsuits originate directly from a misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, injury, or illness. Further complications such as delayed or incorrect treatment, or even no treatment at all can be a direct result of a doctors misdiagnosis and can cause a patient’s condition to deteriorate rapidly, possibly resulting in death. Although this may be the case, a medical malpractice lawsuit cannot be maintained simply on the basis of a mistake in diagnosis
Doctor Negligence in New Jersey
Although a misdiagnosis can lead to many other medical complications for a patient, it is not necessarily regarded as evidence of any kind of negligence. Even the most highly regarded and skilled doctors can make mistakes during a diagnosis while using reasonable care. The most important determination to make is whether or not the doctor was acting competently and the exact steps taken during the process in which the patient was diagnosed.
Doctors use the differential diagnosis method to determine the condition or illness in the patient. Based upon a preliminary evaluation of the patient, the doctor will rank a pre-made list of diagnoses in order of probability, determined through examination. The doctor will then test the strength of each diagnosis by making further medical observations of the patient, asking detailed questions about symptoms and medical history, ordering tests, or referring the patient to specialists. This process allows doctors to rule out other illnesses or diseases that a patient does not have, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis.
Harm as a Result of Misdiagnosis
In order to have any type medical malpractice lawsuit, a patient will have to prove that any injury or progression of the patient’s condition at an accelerated rate has been caused directly by a doctor’s negligent misdiagnosis. In other words, if the doctor had made a correct and accurate diagnosis, would the patient’s condition have deteriorated as quickly as it has. It must be proven that this progression had a negative impact on treatment. Many times a patient can show harm even if the condition can still be treated. In this case, it is the inaction of the doctor that directly impacts the severity of treatment or the condition of the patient.
Emergency Room Misdiagnosis NJ
It is often the case where a large majority of misdiagnosis incidents occur in an emergency scenario. This can be because of extreme time restraints resulting in less time for the doctor to analyze a patient’s condition, which can potentially cause an error. And the severe nature of many emergency room illnesses and injuries means that a missed or incorrect diagnosis is more likely to result in harm to the patient.
It’s also common that many less identifiable conditions may elude detection while in an emergency room. Additionally, it is increasingly difficult to diagnose a patient with a condition not normally experienced by that patient’s age group or gender. These types of diagnoses may take more time to properly assess than is available normally in an emergency medical scenario.
Contact an Experienced Edison, NJ Lawyer Today
Often times, medical malpractice cases are regulated by extremely complex local legislation, which varies by state across the country. Because of this, it can be very overwhelming for a New Jersey victim to handle such a case alone. It takes an experienced and successful lawyer to navigate the law and get you the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact Lombardi and Lombardi as quickly as possible so that we may get started fighting for you.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
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