According to a recent international study, patients are most apt to pursue legal action against their physician because of a delay or failure to diagnose a serious disease. The study data examined medical malpractice claims brought against primary care doctors in the United States, Australia, France and Canada. The results of the study are published in the journal BMJ Open.
Researchers determined that a wide variance of medical malpractice claims, between 26% and 63%, were linked to missed diagnoses. Sadly, the misdiagnosis and suspected medical malpractice often resulted in the patient’s death. Physicians’ failure to diagnose cancer was the most frequent reason formedical malpractice lawsuits. Specifically, the types of cancer that are largely misdiagnosed are breast, colon, melanoma and lung cancer. Secondly, heart attacks ranked high as a disease that doctors failed to recognize. Particularly, heart attacks in women in which the symptoms may be hard to identify and can mimic gastrointestinal problems. For children, meningitis was often misdiagnosed.
Following failure to diagnose diseases as the primary reason a patient would bring a medical malpractice claim against a doctor, the second most prevalent motive for a lawsuit is a patient whom has been the victim of a medication error. This includes prescription-related errors and suffering an adverse drug reaction. Interestingly, according to study researcher Dr. Emma Wallace of the Royal College of Surgeons, most patients whom are victims of medical errors do not pursue legal recourse through medical malpractice claims.
David Cuneo: Cherry Hill NJ Medical Malpractice Lawyer Advocating for Victims of Missed Diagnoses
If you or someone you love has been a victim of a physician’s failure to diagnose or another medical error, you may have the right to file a claim of medical malpractice lawsuit. Call The Law Offices of David Cuneo to have an experienced, knowledgeable NJ personal injury lawyer review your case and put together a solid legal strategy to protect your rights and pursue the maximum recovery for your injuries. Call us at 856-869-9066 to schedule a free consultation or contact us online.