When you visit a doctor in New York, you may be suffering from pain, illness or another serious problem. Illness and injury can keep you away from your job and detract from your busy life. In order to return to normal, you need to understand what is happening and receive an accurate treatment. One of the most important parts of receiving reliable health care is being properly diagnosed by your physician. However, almost 10% of people suffering from a cancer, an infection or a major vascular event like a stroke or heart attack will be misdiagnosed at one point.
Misdiagnosis victims likely to suffer serious damage
According to a study by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine researchers, over half of all of these misdiagnosis victims experience permanent disability or even death as a result of the medical error. When a doctor fails to diagnose a serious progressive illness, the condition may develop quickly and become even more difficult to treat or even irreversible. When the correct diagnosis later becomes apparent, it may be impossible to cure your disease. In other cases, a physician may provide an inaccurate diagnosis, providing medical or surgical treatment. Side effects of these incorrect treatments can be serious, leading to long-term harm.
Negligence can lead to misdiagnoses
Researchers noted that inaccurate diagnoses pose a major threat to patients’ safety, especially when urgent conditions like strokes, heart attacks or serious infections are missed early on. Cancer may grow rapidly, leading to a much more dire situation if it is not detected on time. There are a number of reasons why doctors misdiagnose illnesses. Some cancers are difficult to detect, and the screening technologies are insufficient. However, many people suffer simply because a health care professional failed to live up to the standard of care and dealt negligently with their testing and treatment.
Some health care facilities may also pursue policies that make misdiagnoses more likely, a particular concern as some misdiagnosis rates appear to be on the rise. If you have suffered a worsened health condition due to a doctor error, a medical malpractice attorney may provide advice about seeking compensation for your damages.