In a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked at 190 patient cases where a provider misdiagnosed a patient’s condition. In roughly 20% of those cases, the misdiagnosis could have led to serious complications. Of the cases where there might have been a serious complication, 75% could have been fatal. According to the study, most of the misdiagnosis mistakes could have resulted in moderate-to-severe harm. In most cases, it was a primary care provider who made the misdiagnosis.
Our firm has handled many cases involving the failure to diagnose serious medical conditions including:
- Stroke
- Sepsis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Cancer
- Surgical complications
Misdiagnosis is one of the chief forms of medical malpractice in the United States. An expert at Johns Hopkins who wrote a comment on the JAMA study estimated that 150,000 patients receive a misdiagnosis every year. Using the JAMA study as a statistical example, that means there are approximately 28,000 people every year who might suffer serious or fatal harm due to a doctor’s mistaken diagnosis.
To put that number in perspective, that’s enough people to fill four cruise ships—plus a few thousand left over.
Why Misdiagnosis Is a Betrayal of a Patient’s Trust
“Misdiagnosis” is perhaps too tame a word for a mistake that could cost someone their life. When it comes to serious medical conditions, every day is precious—both in terms of treatment and quality of life. Misdiagnosis robs people of the time they need for intervention or mitigation. Our medical malpractice attorneys have seen our clients suffer a tremendous amount of loss and pain due to misdiagnosis errors.
If you were harmed because your doctor gave you the wrong diagnosis, speak with our firm in a free consultation. Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain is one of the premier injury litigation firms in the country, with more than a century of experience between seven attorneys. Among our decades of practice, we’ve represented hundreds of victims of medical negligence in Florida, across the nation, and all over the world. We’ve won tens of millions for our clients to help them afford the medical care and quality of life they truly deserve while holding negligent doctors and hospitals accountable for their mistakes.
Call (305) 770-6335 today to discuss your situation with our lawyers for free.