Georgia Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Misreading of a chart, x-rays, or test results;

• Failure to diagnose cardiac problems that may lead to a heart attack;

• Surgical errors (botched operation, surgery on the wrong body part, etc.);

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis (most frequently a blood clot, aneurysm, appendicitis, stroke or pulmonary embolism);

Medication errors;

• Postoperative infections caused, unrecognized, or untreated by the facility; and

• Failure to monitor a patient post-treatment.

• Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis by a Treating Physician

In Georgia, a failure to diagnose an illness correctly can have devastating effects on a patient and their family. Injuries resulting from a medical misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can leave patients with debilitating pain and lasting physical impairments, and in the worst cases, result in fatalities. Commonly misdiagnosed conditions include:

•  breast cancer
•  lung cancer
•  ovarian cancer
•  prostate cancer
•  brain tumor
•  infections
•  appendicitis
•  ectopic pregnancy
•  vascular diseases.

To recover compensation in a misdiagnosis lawsuit, an injured patient must prove that the healthcare professional was negligent. Some examples of medical negligence that can lead to a misdiagnosis include:

Failure to Listen to the Patient: When a patient tells a doctor they aren’t feeling well, it is the doctor’s responsibility to listen to the patient and examine their symptoms. Should the doctor fail to examine a symptom and the patient gets sicker, the doctor may be liable for a misdiagnosis.

Failure to Recognize Symptoms: Doctors are trained to make diagnoses based on a patient’s symptoms. If a healthcare professional fails to make an accurate diagnosis despite symptoms indicating a particular illness, they may be held liable for medical malpractice.

Failure to Examine Medical History: Physicians have a responsibility to examine their patients’ personal and family medical history. The physician may be considered negligent if they didn’t examine the patient’s medical history, the patient becomes sicker, and the illness would have been easily identifiable after such an examination.

Ordering an Improper Test: If a doctor orders an incorrect test based on a patient’s symptoms, they may be negligent if the patient sustains further injury. Additionally, a doctor can be found negligent if they fail to order a test after observing their patient’s symptoms.

Failure to Interpret Tests Correctly: When a doctor orders a test for a patient, they are charged with correctly interpreting the results. Should a doctor carelessly interpret a patient’s test, they may be liable for any unnecessary injury or sickness that results from their negligence.

When a patient is misdiagnosed, their illness can progress without adequate treatment. In the worst cases, this can result in death. Additionally, when a patient is misdiagnosed with an illness from which they are not suffering, they can be subjected to painful and risky treatments. If the doctor in either of these instances negligently misdiagnosed the illness, they may be liable for any resulting damages to the patient.