Were you harmed because a healthcare provider failed to diagnose a serious medical condition in Indianapolis, IN? An Indianapolis failure to diagnose condition lawyer at Wilson Kehoe Winingham Injury Lawyers can review your medical care and help you pursue compensation if negligence caused your injuries. Contact us today at (317) 920-6400 for a free consultation.
A failure to diagnose occurs when a healthcare provider does not identify a medical condition that a reasonably competent provider should have recognized under similar circumstances. A missed or delayed diagnosis may lead to worsening symptoms, delayed treatment, or preventable complications. Patients may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim if the diagnostic error caused them harm.
How Wilson Kehoe Winingham Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Failure to Diagnose in Indianapolis, IN
Wilson Kehoe Winingham Injury Lawyers has 124 years of combined legal experience and has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients. Our Indianapolis medical malpractice attorneys understand the challenges of proving that a healthcare provider failed to recognize a condition and that the diagnostic error caused additional harm.
Depending on the circumstances, our team may:
- Gather medical records, imaging, and laboratory results
- Create a timeline of your symptoms, appointments, and treatment
- Examine whether appropriate diagnostic tests were performed
- Work with qualified medical professionals to evaluate your care
- Identify healthcare providers who may be responsible
- Assess how the delay affected your health and finances
- Communicate with insurers and other involved parties
- Prepare your claim for settlement negotiations or court
You do not need to know exactly where the diagnostic process broke down before seeking legal help. An Indianapolis personal injury attorney from our firm can investigate your treatment and explain your options. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at our Indianapolis, IN, office.
When Does a Missed Diagnosis Become Medical Malpractice?
Receiving the wrong diagnosis does not necessarily mean a doctor committed medical malpractice. Many medical conditions share similar symptoms, and some illnesses can be difficult to detect even when a provider takes reasonable steps to identify them.
The issue is whether the healthcare provider exercised the level of care and skill reasonably expected of a similarly qualified provider under the circumstances. A malpractice claim may exist when a provider’s failure to meet that standard causes additional harm to a patient.
Consider a patient who reports symptoms that ordinarily call for further testing. If a provider ignores those symptoms or fails to act on abnormal test results, the resulting delay could raise questions about the quality of care provided. Medical records and input from qualified medical professionals can help answer those questions.
Why Do Doctors and Other Medical Providers Miss Diagnoses?
Diagnosing an illness is often a process rather than a single decision. Doctors may need to consider a patient’s symptoms and medical history, conduct an examination, order tests, and monitor how the condition develops.
Problems can arise at different points along the way. Examples include:
- Overlooking important symptoms or medical history
- Not ordering tests that may have been appropriate
- Incorrectly reading imaging or laboratory findings
- Failing to investigate an abnormal result
- Not referring the patient to a specialist when needed
- Failing to consider other possible causes of the patient’s symptoms
- Miscommunication among doctors, laboratories, or other providers
- Failing to tell a patient about test results
- Losing or mishandling medical information
Sometimes, no one did anything wrong. However, when a preventable breakdown in the diagnostic process causes a patient additional harm, there may be grounds to investigate a medical malpractice claim.
What Medical Conditions Are Commonly Involved in Failure to Diagnose Cases?
Nearly any medical condition can be missed or diagnosed late. The consequences tend to be more serious when the condition requires prompt treatment.
Failure to diagnose claims can involve:
- Cancer
- Heart attacks and other heart conditions
- Strokes
- Blood clots
- Serious infections and sepsis
- Appendicitis
- Internal bleeding
- Diabetes
- Kidney or liver conditions
- Neurological disorders
What happens after a delayed diagnosis varies from patient to patient. One person may simply need additional treatment, while another may face a more difficult recovery or lasting health problems.
How Can a Delayed Diagnosis Affect a Patient?
A delayed diagnosis may lead to:
- Progression of an illness or injury
- More extensive medical treatment
- Additional procedures or hospitalizations
- Higher medical expenses
- A longer or more difficult recovery
- Lost income
- Permanent physical limitations or disabilities
- Additional pain and suffering
In some situations, the consequences can be fatal.
An important question in these cases is what would likely have happened if the condition had been identified earlier. A patient generally must show not only that a diagnostic error occurred but also that the error caused additional harm.
Who May Be Liable for a Failure to Diagnose?
Several healthcare professionals or facilities may share responsibility for a missed diagnosis, depending on their involvement in the patient’s care.
Depending on the circumstances, a claim could involve:
- Primary care physicians
- Emergency room physicians
- Medical specialists
- Radiologists
- Pathologists
- Hospitals
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Other health care providers
For instance, a doctor might order an appropriate test, but the result could be read incorrectly or never reach the physician responsible for follow-up care. Reviewing the entire treatment timeline can help reveal when the process failed and which parties were involved.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Failure to Diagnose in Indianapolis?
No single formula determines what a failure-to-diagnose claim is worth. The extent of the patient’s injuries, additional treatment needs, time away from work, and long-term effects of the delay can all influence the damages involved.
Depending on the facts of the case, compensation may address:
- Medical bills related to the additional harm
- Anticipated future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
The key is identifying the losses connected to the diagnostic failure rather than the underlying medical condition itself. Our attorneys can review how the delay changed your treatment, recovery, and everyday life when assessing your claim.
What Is Indiana’s Medical Review Panel Process?
Indiana generally requires medical malpractice claims against qualified healthcare providers to undergo review by a medical review panel before the case proceeds to trial. The panel evaluates whether the provider met the applicable standard of care and whether the conduct contributed to the patient’s injuries.
Not every claim follows the same procedure. An Indianapolis medical malpractice lawyer can determine whether the Medical Malpractice Act applies and explain the steps required to pursue your case.
Contact an Indianapolis Failure to Diagnose Condition Attorney for a Free Consultation
Discovering that a medical condition went undiagnosed can leave you with questions about your treatment and the harm you experienced. Understanding your legal rights can help you decide what to do next.
Wilson Kehoe Winingham Injury Lawyers represents patients harmed by medical negligence in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you believe a delayed or missed diagnosis caused additional injuries, our legal team can evaluate your situation and explain your options.
Contact our Indianapolis failure to diagnose condition lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.