Misdiagnosis of medical conditions can lead to incorrect treatments, inappropriate drug prescriptions, and even medicines or medical treatments that can make your condition worse.
If you or a loved one has suffered as the result of a medical misdiagnosis in Wilkes-Barre, you might be able to seek financial compensation by filing a medical malpractice claim against your healthcare provider for medical misdiagnosis.
A Wilkes-Barre medical malpractice attorney from Munley Law can help.
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An inaccurate diagnosis can have devastating consequences. It can deprive you of the necessary medical care for your actual condition and expose you to harmful drugs and therapies for conditions you don’t have, potentially worsening your health. In egregious cases, a medical error can lead to wrongful death.
At Munley Law Firm, our skilled Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to helping you every step of the way. We have been fighting for the rights of Scranton victims of medical negligence for more than 60 years. With a proven record of securing millions in settlements and verdicts for our clients, we are committed to securing your maximum compensation.
Don’t let a misdiagnosis control your future. Contact Munley Law for your free initial consultation.
Why a Wilkes-Barre Medical Misdiagnosis Can Be Harmful
Misdiagnosis can seriously impact your physical as well as your financial and emotional health. When your doctor gets a diagnosis wrong, you miss out on the necessary treatment for your actual condition, and you might end up taking medications you don’t need or undergoing treatments that do even more harm.
Imagine dealing with unnecessary side effects from drugs meant for an illness you don’t even have. Your real condition might worsen without the proper care, leading to more serious health problems. In some cases, a misdiagnosis can even be life-threatening.
A Misdiagnosis Can Spiral into a Continuum of Health and Financial Problems.
The emotional and financial stress of a misdiagnosis can be overwhelming. You might face high medical bills, lost wages from missing work, and frustration that you are not improving.
If a misdiagnosis has injured you, contact a personal injury lawyer at Munley Law. We help PA residents hold medical professionals to a higher standard of care while recovering maximum compensation for medical malpractice lawsuits.
Is Misdiagnosis Considered Malpractice?
In Pennsylvania, medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider deviates from the accepted standard of care, harming the patient. Essentially, it means that the healthcare professional failed to act as a reasonably competent provider would have under similar circumstances.
So, how does misdiagnosis fit into this definition?
A misdiagnosis is considered malpractice if it meets the above criteria. When a doctor incorrectly diagnoses a condition, and that error leads to improper treatment, delayed treatment, or no treatment, harming the patient, it can be grounds for a malpractice claim.
For instance, if a doctor in Pennsylvania misdiagnoses a serious condition like cancer as a less severe illness, the patient might miss out on early, potentially life-saving treatments. This delay can lead to the cancer progressing to a more advanced, less treatable stage. In this scenario, the doctor’s failure to provide the correct diagnosis and treatment constitutes a deviation from the standard of care.
Misdiagnosis can lead to various harmful outcomes, including:
- Incorrect Medicine or Other Treatments: Receiving treatments for the wrong condition can cause harmful side effects and complications.
- Delayed Treatment: Not getting the right diagnosis means your actual condition continues to progress untreated, which can worsen your prognosis.
- Unnecessary Stress: The uncertainty and anxiety of not knowing what’s wrong with you can take a toll on your mental health.
- Financial Problems: You might eventually face increased medical bills for unnecessary treatments and additional costs to correct the misdiagnosis.
Types of Medical Misdiagnosis in Wilkes-Barre
Medical misdiagnosis can take several forms, each with its potential consequences. The three main types include:
Failure to Diagnose: This happens when a doctor doesn’t identify a condition that is present at all. For example, if a patient has cancer but the doctor misses the signs and symptoms, the patient may not receive the necessary treatment. This can worsen the condition, potentially making it more difficult to treat or untreatable.
Delayed Diagnosis: The doctor eventually diagnoses the condition only after a significant delay. For instance, if a patient has symptoms of a serious illness like heart disease or diabetes, but the doctor doesn’t diagnose it until months later, the delay can lead to complications or more severe health issues. The delay in diagnosis means the patient doesn’t get the timely treatment needed to prevent the disease from worsening.
False Diagnosis: This occurs when a doctor incorrectly identifies a condition that the patient doesn’t have.
Each type of misdiagnosis can lead to serious injury, affecting your health, treatment options, and overall well-being. Suppose you believe you’ve been affected by any form of medical misdiagnosis. In that case, it’s important to consult with a medical malpractice attorney who can help you understand what financial compensation you might be entitled to.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Misdiagnosis in Wilkes-Barre?
As in other types of medical negligence, there can be many parties sharing responsibility for your misdiagnosis, including:
Your Primary Healthcare Provider: The doctor who makes the diagnosis is usually the first person considered responsible. They can be held liable if they fail to identify a condition correctly, whether due to oversight, lack of knowledge, or failure to order necessary tests.
Specialists: If your case involves a specialist, such as an oncologist or cardiologist, they can also be held accountable. Specialists are expected to have expertise in their area; they may be liable if they misdiagnose a condition within their specialty.
Medical Staff and Nurses: If a nurse fails to report critical symptoms or miscommunicates important information to the doctor, they might contribute to a misdiagnosis.
Laboratories and Technicians: Errors in lab tests or imaging can lead to a misdiagnosis. If a lab technician incorrectly processes a blood sample, mixes up blood samples, or a radiologist misreads an X-ray, these mistakes can result in a wrong diagnosis. The laboratory or technician may be liable if such errors harm patients.
Healthcare Facility or Hospital: The facility where the diagnosis was made can also be responsible. If the facility has systemic issues, such as inadequate protocols or poor supervision, that contribute to misdiagnosis, the hospital itself can be liable.
Medical Device Manufacturers: In some cases, faulty or malfunctioning medical equipment can cause misdiagnosis. The manufacturer might be held responsible if a diagnostic machine provides incorrect results due to a defect or malfunction.
In many cases, more than one party can be at fault. It’s best to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney to learn more about the specifics of your case. Count on the Wilkes-Barre medical malpractice lawyers to fight for your maximum compensation.
Why Trust a Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Munley Law?
Munley Law attorneys have a national reputation for securing record-breaking settlements for our personal injury clients.
Our legal team is a PA family of “Super Lawyers” with roots in the community. We have been fighting for Wilkes-Barre families for more than 60 years. You can count on us to fight tirelessly for your personal injury case. We are the experts in medical malpractice law.
Remember, your medical providers have their insurance companies’ attorneys working hard to deprive you of the compensation you deserve. Make sure YOU get the top-notch legal advice and world-class legal representation you need by calling Munley Law today.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today
Schedule a Free Consultation TodayYou might be entitled to compensation if you or a family member has been harmed due to a medical misdiagnosis in Wilkes-Barre. Don’t let the clock run down on the statute of limitations on your case. Call the team that has been fighting for victims of medical malpractice for more than six decades.
Call Munley Law today for your free initial consultation. We charge nothing until we win.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
1170 PA-315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 399-0406
