It has long been thought that medical mistakes are the third most common cause of death in the United States. Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine delves deeper into the problem of medical mistakes and specifically into the issue of diagnostic errors. A report from the Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, a part of Johns Hopkins Medicine, finds that diagnostic errors are more prevalent than once thought. Diagnostic errors can lead to delayed treatment, which can be devastating for some types of illnesses, especially cancer and stroke.
Diagnostic Errors are the Most Common Type of Medical Mistakes
Diagnostic errors are “the most common, catastrophic, and costly of all medical errors,” according to the information gathered by the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. Most people will be affected by a diagnostic mistake at some time in their lives. About 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed each year, and many of them are harmed because of the error. Diagnostic mistakes account for 40,000 to 80,000 preventable deaths in hospitals in the United States each year. An estimated 795,000 people were seriously harmed because of diagnostic errors.
Types of Diagnostic Errors
Diagnostics are an essential part of medical treatment. The correct diagnosis will determine the course of treatment and the potential outcome for a patient. Mistakes may occur at various points in the diagnostic process.
- Failure to Diagnose – This is one of the most common types of diagnostic mistakes made by medical professionals. Doctors may not adequately diagnose if they do not perform the proper testing or when they fail to evaluate a patient’s symptoms.
- Delayed Diagnosis – Sometimes a doctor fails to immediately diagnose a medical condition. A medical professional may send a patient home without a proper diagnosis. The patient will have to make repeated doctor or hospital visits until a diagnosis is made. In the meantime, the condition could worsen significantly.
- Incorrect Diagnosis – An incorrect diagnosis results in improper treatment. The wrong treatment could make the condition worse or could cause other issues with the patient. At the same time, their actual condition is left to progress without care.
In some cases, other related conditions may be missed, even if the main condition was correctly diagnosed. This can result in other medical complications, which would not have happened if the doctor had made a complete diagnosis earlier.
Wrongful Death Claims
When a loved one dies due to negligence, the negligent party should be held accountable. Medical misdiagnosis is a form of medical error and is often considered medical malpractice. The loved ones of a victim of a medical error may file a wrongful death claim. You must be able to prove that the doctor or medical professional had a duty of care, that they breached that duty, and that the patient was harmed as a result.
In the case of medical misdiagnosis, you will need to have the necessary evidence to show that a mistake was made that caused the death of your loved one. Obtaining evidence of breach of duty of care can be challenging. An experienced wrongful death attorney knows how to gather the proof necessary to win your case. Generally, medical experts are necessary to testify to improper diagnosis or care.
If your loved one died as a result of misdiagnosis, it may be due to negligence. To learn more, contact us at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to schedule a consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/armstrong-institute/center-for-diagnostic-excellence
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37460118/
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArnoldSmithPLLC/videos
See Our Related Blog Posts:
When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer