It is reasonable to expect doctors to properly diagnose a medical condition with the medical advances available today. Unfortunately, many illnesses are missed by physicians in Providence and elsewhere in the country, resulting in a worsened medical condition or death. It can be heartbreaking and stressful for patients and their families when there is a delay in the diagnosis of cancer, heart attacks or other life-threatening conditions. Also, time is of the essence for some conditions, and a delay in treatment can be fatal.
According to a report by Live Science, the most common reason patients file medical malpractice lawsuits is failure to diagnose. This category makes up as much as 63 percent of all medical malpractice claims. The conditions that are reportedly most often missed or misdiagnosed include heart attacks, child meningitis and cancer – particularly breast, lung, colon and melanoma cancers.
There are numerous other common misdiagnoses that may come as a surprise to people, states CNN. These have also resulted in medical malpractice cases, and include:
- Lyme disease
- Appendicitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Lupus
- Diabetes
In some cases, it may take several years before a physician diagnoses an illness. By that time, the condition may have caused considerable damage that could have been avoided by having a timely diagnosis. For example, the symptoms of diabetes are often invisible for years but can cause organ damage in the meantime. Diagnosing and treating the illness early can prevent serious complications or death. Patients who have suffered because of a negligent physician may be able to seek compensation.
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