When you went to see the doctor because you weren’t feeling well, you trusted them to run all the necessary tests and to let you know if you were suffering from any kind of serious ailment. The first time you went, they were largely unconcerned with your symptoms. However, the second time you returned, they did go ahead and run bloodwork for you.
You didn’t hear back from the office, so you assumed again that all was well, but later you went into the emergency room for symptoms, had bloodwork again and were diagnosed in serious condition. Now, you wonder who is to blame and why you didn’t know about your illness sooner.
Failing to diagnose can be medical malpractice
When you go to see your primary care provider or a specialist, there is a standard of care that they are expected to provide to you. If you are complaining about dizziness or anxiety, they should also rule out other issues like pulmonary conditions, heart problems or diabetes, for example.
Failing to run the appropriate tests, as well as failing to inform you of test results in a timely manner, could result in serious injury or the advancement of a health condition. As a result, it’s necessary for medical providers to be clear about the tests they are performing, their thoughts about a diagnosis and the results that have come back to them.
When can you make a medical malpractice claim?
It’s appropriate to make a medical malpractice claim if a serious condition was missed when it should not have been and you have serious side effects or problems as a result of the delay. For example, if you did not receive a call to tell you that the results of an AIC test were high and went on to go into ketoacidosis, you may have a claim against the original physician for failing to follow up or diagnose your condition.
Medical malpractice is a serious claim to make, but if you have been injured or live with a more serious condition because of a delayed diagnosis, you may benefit from holding the medical provider who should have diagnosed you liable.