If you or a family member in Reading, Pennsylvania, has been misdiagnosed by a healthcare provider, you can pursue legal action with the help of a Reading misdiagnosis lawyer. For almost seven decades, Munley Law’s award-winning attorneys have held healthcare providers responsible for their negligence in misdiagnosing patients. We’ve helped injured people move on with their lives by securing client victories worth more than $1 billion.
Our lawyers’ prowess at the negotiating table and in the courtroom has been recognized by Best Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, the American Association for Justice, and other legal institutions. Martindale-Hubbell has given all our partners its highest ratings, and the National Board of Trial Advocacy has certified four of our attorneys in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy. Two of our lawyers have been honored for their work in the field of medical malpractice law.
Misdiagnosis is a common and serious problem in the Keystone State, and if this has happened to you, you deserve justice and fair compensation. Contact a Reading medical malpractice attorney at Munley Law to schedule a free consultation.
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Call Us At 844-686-5397 Why are Timely, Correct Diagnoses Important?
Accurate diagnosis is critical to receiving proper medical treatment. When a condition is diagnosed correctly and early, it can often be treated more effectively. For example, early cancer detection may offer more proper treatment options and a better chance of recovery. On the other hand, a mistake or delayed diagnosis could lead to substandard care, worsening health, unnecessary treatments, or even death. A BMJ study found that around 424,000 people are permanently disabled and 371,000 people die following misdiagnosis in the US every year.
For this reason, healthcare providers must follow established standards of care to ensure they provide an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible. Doctors must listen to their patients, take their symptoms seriously, order the proper tests, and correctly understand the results.
Which Consequences of Misdiagnosis Lead to Medical Malpractice Lawsuits?
Not all consequences of misdiagnosis lead to medical malpractice lawsuits in Reading, PA. Those that lay the foundation for a claim include:
- Worsening of the underlying condition: A wrong or missed diagnosis means your illness or health condition keeps worsening, sometimes to a point where it’s much harder to treat.
- Unnecessary treatment: If you’re treated for the wrong thing, you might end up with treatments or medications that don’t help but could hurt you.
- Emotional distress: Finding out you’ve been misdiagnosed can be a tough pill to swallow, leaving you feeling scared, frustrated, and unsure of what to do next.
- Financial burden: Misdiagnosis often means extra medical bills, unnecessary treatments, and missed work, all of which can be very costly.
Your Reading misdiagnosis lawyer will work with experts to calculate the full value of your claim. This allows them to pursue fair compensation on your behalf through negotiations with insurance companies or by taking the fight for justice to court.
“Honoring those who came before us, Munley Law proudly continues our family tradition of innovation, caring, and integrity.”
Caroline Munley
How Can Medical Errors Lead to Misdiagnosis in Reading, PA?
Misdiagnosis frequently stems from medical mistakes. These errors can occur at any stage of the diagnostic process, and when they happen, the impact on the patient can be devastating. Some typical medical care errors that contribute to misdiagnosis include:
Misinterpretation of Test Results
Doctors use diagnostic tests like blood work, MRIs, and X-rays to treat a patient. However, if those test results are misread, important details about the patient’s medical condition could be overlooked. Misreading these results can lead to the wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment.
Failure to Order Necessary Tests
Sometimes, doctors don’t order the tests needed to confirm or rule out a specific condition because they overlook something or underestimate how serious the symptoms are. Without the proper tests, the doctor might be unsure of what’s wrong, which can be risky.
Miscommunication Between Providers
Healthcare often involves a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists working together to provide care. When communication breaks down between medical professionals, important details about a patient’s condition or test results may be overlooked. For example, if one doctor doesn’t inform another about abnormal test results, the patient’s care could suffer.
Disregard for Patient Symptoms
If a healthcare provider disregards or dismisses a patient’s symptoms, they could miss critical warning signs of a serious illness. This happens all too often, especially when doctors assume a patient is exaggerating or being overly anxious. A healthcare provider’s failure to take symptoms seriously can lead to incorrect diagnosis and delayed treatment.
Is Misdiagnosis Always Medical Malpractice in Reading?
Not every misdiagnosis in Reading, Berks County, qualifies as medical malpractice. For attorneys who handle malpractice to prove medical malpractice in a misdiagnosis case, you must show the healthcare provider’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care. In other words, the doctor must have acted in a way that a reasonably competent doctor would not have under similar circumstances.
For example, if a doctor reasonably followed all the right steps but still missed a correct diagnosis due to a rare or complicated condition, it may not be considered malpractice. However, if the doctor fails to diagnose due to carelessness or lack of attention, that could be grounds for a medical negligence lawsuit.
What is Pennsylvania’s Statute of Limitations for Misdiagnosis Cases?
You do not have an indefinite amount of time in which to file a misdiagnosis case in Pennsylvania. Under 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524 (2), the Commonwealth’s statute of limitations on medical malpractice cases, including misdiagnosis cases, is two years from the date on which you were misdiagnosed or on which you reasonably should have discovered that you had been diagnosed.
For this reason, it’s vital that you contact a Reading misdiagnosis lawyer at Munley Law as soon as possible. This allows enough time for your lawyer to investigate your case, gather evidence, consult experts, calculate the value of your damages, and obtain a certificate from a healthcare professional stating your case has merit, which is required under 231 Pa. Code Rule 1042.3. With all this in place, your attorney can file your claim well before the deadline.
Why Choose Munley Law?
Dealing with a misdiagnosis often brings both physical pain and mental pain. You put your trust in your medical provider, believing they’ll take care of you, and instead, they fail to deliver the care you need. At Munley Law, we understand that, along with legal advice, you need a medical malpractice lawyer who genuinely cares about your well-being. We have more than 250 years of combined legal experience with medical malpractice cases and are dedicated to seeking justice for individuals in Reading, Berks County, and across Pennsylvania.
Our Reading attorneys have a proven track record in handling medical malpractice claims. We know how to handle these challenging cases and go up against hospitals, insurance companies, and large healthcare providers, working to ensure you receive fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and emotional pain caused by misdiagnosis. Some of the settlements and verdicts we’ve obtained include:
- $4.35 million medical malpractice settlement
- $3.5 million settlement in a medical malpractice case
- $3.2 million medical malpractice case settlement
- $3 million settlement for a woman misdiagnosed with cancer
- $1.6 million jury verdict for medical malpractice, which resulted in a death
Over the years, our attorneys have built a strong reputation for their services to Pennsylvanians who have been misdiagnosed. The National Trial Lawyers named Caroline Munley to the Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania list and to the Top 25 Women Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania list. Best Lawyers named Marion Munley Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation.
Caroline and Marion are members of the International Society of Barristers and Litigation Counsel of America, of which Caroline is a Fellow and Marion a Senior Fellow. All our attorneys are members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. Our partners were named to the Irish Legal 100 list and received AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell.
These accolades assure you that Munley Law is the best misdiagnosis and medical malpractice firm in Berks County and greater Pennsylvania. Entrust us with your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Caroline Munley
Caroline Munley is a board-certified workers’ compensation specialist. Since 2018, she’s been listed in Best Lawyers in America (Personal Injury Plaintiffs; Workers’ Compensation Claimants, Northeastern PA), Lawdragon, and has been a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2022. A member of the International Society of Barristers, Caroline has won millions of dollars for car accident, commercial truck crash, and workplace injury victims.
