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Charleston Misdiagnosis Lawyer

Doctors are expected to follow standard treatment protocols and maintain a reasonable standard of care when treating patients. When doctors fail to request the correct blood tests, x-rays, scans, or other diagnostic procedures in the face of certain symptoms or fail to investigate reported symptoms altogether, they can be held liable for misdiagnoses that result in serious injuries, complications, or death. A Charleston misdiagnosis lawyer can hold a guilty medical professional responsible.

Oftentimes, misdiagnoses happen when a doctor attempts to cut corners and limits the number of tests performed on a patient. Other times, an x-ray technician may incorrectly read test results or fail to examine an x-ray close enough. A doctor may assume the technician is correct and offer the wrong diagnosis and resulting treatment plan. During both examples, a misdiagnosis can lead to severe complications.

If a patient is diagnosed for cancer, for example, when they really do not have it, unneeded chemotherapy or radiation could severely damage a body’s tissues and immune system. If someone is diagnosed with heart complications and prescribed medication they do not need, that medication may put an additional strain on the patient’s heart which could lead to complications.

There’s also the fact that when a patient is misdiagnosed, they still have an ailment or condition that is left undiagnosed and untreated. Their condition may continue to worsen while they are being treated for an ailment they do not actually have. This will continue to put a strain on the body and may lead to additional complications or cause a patient to suffer from permanent damage.

Situations like this shouldn’t be acceptable, but they occur at West Virginia hospitals and doctor’s offices more often than we would like to imagine. If your health has suffered due to being misdiagnosed, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the guilty medical professional or institution. Doing so may give you the financial assistance you need to seek a full recovery and receive the correct course of treatment as well as ensure the negligent medical team never makes the same mistake again.

Common Medical Complications That Lead to Misdiagnoses

Misdiagnoses are more common than many individuals believe and can happen to anyone. While a misdiagnosis can technically occur with any type of serious illness, ailment, or injury, some illnesses, diseases, and conditions are more prone to misdiagnoses than others.

In some cases, these conditions are rare and may present with symptoms seen in other, similar diseases or ailments. In other cases, a misdiagnosis may happen when a disease or ailment is in its beginning stages and is difficult to detect. Without thorough testing, it’s harder for doctors to narrow down a patient’s symptoms. This is why thorough testing is essential.

The personal injury attorneys at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC commonly represent clients who have been misdiagnosed with the following conditions or ailments:

  • Meningitis
  • Cancer misdiagnosis
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Heart defect
  • Infection
  • Allergic reaction

The Harmful Effects of Misdiagnosed Conditions

When people are told they suffer from a certain condition or illness when in fact they don’t, they often fail to receive the treatment they need on time, or worse, they receive unneeded treatment that is harmful. Misdiagnosed conditions that miss other serious health problems can lead to missed opportunities for a patient to get the treatment they need, and can lead to serious complications, and even death.

In each case, our attorneys have the experience and resources needed to meticulously review the actions of medical professionals, identify medical negligence, and hold those responsible legally and financially liable for their actions.

How a West Virginia Medical Misdiagnosis Lawyer Can Help

To quantify the cost of an injury or death associated with a medical misdiagnosis, our Charleston misdiagnosis attorneys consult experienced medical economists and life care planners. Working with cost data collected by HMOs, the insurance industry, and the government, we can accurately project current and future costs associated with our client’s injuries. Our office considers medical costs, loss of earnings, and loss in quality of life. We demand nothing less than a fair, equitable settlement.

The law office of DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC works closely with medical experts and investigators in determining what caused the misdiagnosis that resulted in serious injury to our client. Our Charleston misdiagnosis lawyers subpoena hospital staffing records, copies of diagnostic tests, medical charts, and video footage from the emergency room if available.

We interview nurses and attending staff to create a timeline involving when certain symptoms presented themselves and when a physician was made aware of them. Using medical expert witness testimony, we can expose departures from standard of care and other acts of negligence. To schedule an appointment and discuss your case, contact our passionate legal team today.