Laurel, MD Medical Malpractice Attorney

When going to the doctor, people should be able to expect that they will be cared for correctly, rather than worrying about how they could be harmed by mistakes or negligent care. Patients usually trust that medical professionals will pay attention to their needs, make accurate diagnoses, and provide the right treatments. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.

When doctors or other providers are negligent in the care they provide, patients may experience worsened health conditions, permanent disabilities, or even wrongful death. People who suffer harm because of substandard medical care can take legal action against negligent providers and recover compensation for their damages. At Kisner Law, we help victims of medical malpractice understand their rights and the steps they can take to address the harm they have suffered. We will investigate the causes of injuries and take aggressive legal action to help victims obtain the compensation they need to move forward with their lives.

Call 240-459-0097 Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation

How Misdiagnosis Can Harm Patients

When a doctor does not correctly identify a medical condition, the proper treatment may be delayed, leading to complications that could have been avoided with timely intervention. A misdiagnosis may also lead to the wrong treatment being provided, which can negatively impact a person's overall health.

Misdiagnosis may occur for several reasons:

• Dismissal of Symptoms: In some cases, patients may not be taken seriously when reporting pain or unusual symptoms. This issue often affects women or people of color. Doctors who fail to fully consider symptoms may misidentify a condition, and they may fail to provide the proper treatment.
• Inadequate Review of Medical History: Doctors should fully consider the personal and family history of patients when making diagnoses. If they fail to review the health issues that have affected a person in the past or other factors that could be important, they may overlook significant risk factors and fail to make the correct diagnosis.
• Failure to Order Appropriate Tests: Doctors should make sure patients receive the proper tests to evaluate their conditions, which may include imaging such as X-rays or CT scans, blood work, or other diagnostics. A doctor who discounts a patient's symptoms or does not take steps to verify a diagnosis may not have the information needed to correctly identify a patient's health issues.
• Misinterpretation of Test Results: Even if a doctor orders the correct tests, they may make errors when reading X-rays, MRIs, blood panels, or pathology reports. Failure to take the time to fully review test results can lead to incorrect diagnoses.

Commonly misdiagnosed conditions include heart attacks, strokes, infections, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. When left untreated or treated incorrectly, these conditions can become life-threatening, or they may cause irreversible harm.

Other Types of Medical Negligence

In addition to diagnostic errors, patients may suffer harm due to other forms of negligent care, such as:

• Infections Acquired in Hospitals or Medical Offices: Failure to follow hygiene protocols can expose patients to bacteria, viruses, or other contaminants.
• Medication Errors: Prescribing or administering drugs incorrectly can lead to issues such as allergic reactions, harmful side effects, dangerous interactions with other medications, organ damage, or failure to properly treat a patient's condition.
• Surgical Errors: Because of the invasive nature of surgery, the proper methods should be followed to protect the patient's health and well-being. When medical professionals are rushed or careless, they may operate on the wrong part of the body or make mistakes that could damage a patient's bodily systems. Dangerous infections can occur due to negligence, or objects may be left behind inside the patient's body, leading to serious complications.
• Birth Injuries: Failure to protect the health of a mother or child during labor and delivery can lead to serious injuries. Improper responses to fetal distress or failure to address issues affecting the umbilical cord may lead to a lack of oxygen and health conditions such as cerebral palsy. Improper monitoring of a mother or failure to recognize conditions such as preeclampsia or hemorrhaging could cause serious harm to the mother.

Contact Our Laurel, MD Medical Malpractice Lawyer

When medical negligence is responsible for serious injuries affecting patients, legal help from a skilled attorney can ensure that these issues will be addressed correctly. Attorney Jason Kisner can provide the compassionate, determined representation needed in these situations. He works to achieve justice for patients whose trust has been violated, helping to ensure that they will have the financial resources they need to heal. Contact Kisner Law at 240-459-0097 to arrange a free consultation and begin the process of recovering compensation for the ways you have been affected by medical malpractice.