A misdiagnosis can lead to devastating consequences for a patient. Anytime you go to the hospital or a doctor, you expect to be treated with a certain standard of care. Unfortunately, there are times when medical professionals fail to uphold an adequate standard of care. Sometimes, a provider’s breach of duty to a patient leads to a harmful misdiagnosis. At Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli and Pratt, P.A. we are here to help when you need a Hawaii misdiagnosis attorney by your side. Our medical malpractice team has a thorough understanding of these cases, and we have the resources necessary to conduct a full investigation into the incident.
What does it mean to be misdiagnosed?
Misdiagnosis medical malpractice cases in Hawaii can be difficult, particularly because there is no such thing as a perfect practitioner of medicine. Yes, mistakes are often made when diagnosing patients. However, there are also times when medical professionals make preventable errors that lead to a misdiagnosis that never should have occurred.
Johns Hopkins researchers have previously stated that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. These researchers have also said that diagnostic errors cause more harm and financial loss to patients than any other type of medical error.
There are various ways that a misdiagnosis can occur that could amount to medical malpractice. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Medical provider failure to perform necessary tests and scans
- Failing to properly note a patient’s signs and symptoms
- Failing to properly address a patient’s signs and symptoms
- Failing to obtain a complete patient medical or family history
- Inadequately trained medical professionals
- Not properly following up on test or scan results
When working to determine whether or not a misdiagnosis has risen to the level of medical malpractice, it will need to be determined whether or not the medical provider in question provided their patient with an adequate level of care. This will be measured by analyzing whether or not the care provided in the misdiagnosis case was the same level of care that a similarly trained medical professional would have provided in a similar situation.
A misdiagnosis can affect a patient in many different ways. This could include:
- An injury or illness going undetected.
- A patient undergoing unnecessary treatment for an injury or illness they do not even have.
- A worsening of the signs and symptoms of the current injury or illness.
- Delayed treatment of a serious injury or illness.
Unfortunately, there are also times when a misdiagnosis could lead to the untimely death of the patient.
Call our Hawaii misdiagnosis attorney today
If you or somebody you care about has been misdiagnosed by a medical professional, you need to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At Kurzban, Kurzban, Tetzeli and Pratt, P.A. we know how devastating a misdiagnosis can be. Our team will investigate your claim and help determine the full extent of your injury or illness caused by the misdiagnosis. Our goal is to secure the compensation you are entitled to, which can include:
- Coverage of your medical expenses
- Lost income if you are unable to work
- General household out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of quality of life damages
When you need a Hawaii misdiagnosis attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 808-736-5035.