Michigan Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis Lawyers

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are two of the most common (and often most damaging) types of medical malpractice. 40% of medical malpractice involve a misdiagnosis or a missed or delayed diagnosis. Not having the proper diagnosis for an injury, disease, or illness can cause serious, severe, and even deadly consequences in certain circumstances.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, contact the injury attorneys in Grand Rapids at Buchanan Firm to discuss your situation. Under Michigan law, a patient injured by a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis may have a legal right to reimbursement for resulting harms and losses.

What is the Difference Between a Misdiagnosis and a Delayed Diagnosis?

There is a difference between misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis.

• A misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor or other medical professional diagnoses a person with the wrong medical condition.
• A delayed or a missed diagnosis (also known as a failure to diagnose) occurs when a doctor or medical professional fails to properly diagnose a medical condition when they see the patient.

Although definitions for each are different, the result is typically the same. Many patients of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis often deteriorate in health because of lack of treatment or otherwise improper treatment. In some cases, patients can also develop entirely new health disorders if they are incorrectly prescribed medications they do not need.

What Are the Consequences of Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis?

Misdiagnosing a medical condition or simply not diagnosing that condition until much later can have profound adverse effects on the physical and mental health of a patient.

• A patient’s health may worsen over time, especially where timing is crucial. For example, a delayed diagnosis of cancer may lead to it spreading to other parts of the body – a condition exponentially more difficult to treat.
• A patient may be harmed by unnecessary medications or drugs, causing dangerous side effects.
• A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis usually results later in more medical treatment and money being spent on the condition – expenditures that could have been avoided if the problem had been identified the first time.
• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can cause mental and emotional harm to patients. Distrust of medical professionals, along with traumatic experiences with medical errors, can cause debilitating anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What Are the Common Causes of Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis?

Common causes of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis are:

• A doctor not properly reading a medical chart or diagnostic imaging such as an X-ray or MRI
• Misuse of the electronic medical chart by a healthcare provider
• Failing to notify and warn a patient of an abnormal finding
• A nurse ordering an incorrect screening test
• A doctor rushing because of too many patient appointments and not taking the time to do a proper differential diagnosis of symptoms
• A doctor is overworked or too tired to properly determine the cause of a condition
• Human error when taking, handling, or testing samples.
• Faulty diagnostic equipment

Buchanan Firm Medical Advantage

Legal claims involving misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can be complicated, especially when investigating if negligence occurred. Other law firms try to find someone to ask about how to proceed with a misdiagnosis case.

At Buchanan Firm, we not only have a legal team experienced in medical malpractice cases, but also on-staff medical professionals with clinical experience and expertise. This unique capability enables our office to review your case immediately with medical knowledge and expertise you can trust. From there, our Michigan medical malpractice attorneys can build and prove your medical malpractice case.

If you or a loved one recently suffered injury or death because of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, call Buchanan Firm today. Let us help you receive the money and treatments necessary for a full medical recovery. We offer free, immediate, and confidential answers, and you pay no upfront costs unless we win your case.