Medical Misdiagnosis in Utah is a type of medical malpractice that occurs when a doctor fails to accurately diagnose an illness. This can happen in a wide variety of ways. In order to be considered malpractice, the misdiagnosis must have caused harm to the patient.
What Causes Medical Misdiagnosis in Utah?
There are many factors that can lead to medical malpractice. A doctor may fail to screen for certain conditions, which can result in them incorrectly diagnosing the illness. They may conduct the wrong tests that won’t catch the illness you have. They may also incorrectly read test results, which will also lead to a misdiagnosis of your illness.
What Can Misdiagnosis Cause?
Many issues can be caused by misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis ultimately leads to the existing illness not being treated, which can cause the symptoms to become worse and lead to health complications. Additionally, some treatments may be harmful to the patient if they don’t actually have the illness they are being treated for.
Illnesses that are Commonly Misdiagnosed
Asthma is a condition that is commonly misdiagnosed. It can easily be mistaken for recurring bronchitis, which will prevent the patient from getting the medical care that they need. Cancer is a particularly dangerous illness when misdiagnosed. If a patient is misdiagnosed with cancer when they don’t have cancer, they may receive unnecessary chemo treatment that will cause damage to their body, without fixing the underlying illness. Cancer is also extremely important to catch in the early stages. A doctor failing to recognize cancer early on can result in many potentially fatal complications for the patient.
Misdiagnosis is serious, because it can lead to significant consequences. In medical malpractice cases, you will need an experienced attorney to help you receive compensation for the harm the inadequate medical care caused you. If you or a loved one has been misdiagnosed, contact us at LeBaron & Jensen today!
