MISDIAGNOSIS CAUSES MORE DEATHS PER YEAR THAN COVID-19
Medical malpractice is truly a misunderstood concept. People in the United States can wax political about the state of healthcare, but although there are imperfections in every system, we should all be extremely grateful for the healthcare that we have. We should all be grateful for the tremendous work performed by the doctors in the country. The concept of medical malpractice is not the enemy of the health system or our doctors. Some folks try to argue that insurance premiums increase as a result of medical malpractice lawsuits, or that doctors leave certain states in droves because of lawsuits. The facts simply do not support these allegations. We can all be sure that the insurance companies are reporting tremendous profits, and our doctors are doing just fine financially. Medical malpractice lawsuits are an important part of our legal system. Doctors have a standard of care to adhere to, and if they breach their standard of care, that is considered negligence. If a doctor is negligent in their care of the patient, and that negligence causes an injury, the patient is entitled to a remedy. It is very simple. Anyone who argues that medical malpractice lawsuits are unjust or unfair is misinformed. Doctors pay insurance premiums to cover them in the event of negligence, very much in the same vein as when drivers on the road obtain insurance in order to cover them in the event, they are negligent when operating a car. The law says that people are entitled to a remedy in the event they are wronged.
One of the most common forms of medical malpractice is misdiagnosis and/or failure to diagnose a condition. It might seem intuitive, but when a medical professional either misses a diagnosis, misinterprets symptoms or imaging studies, or fails to inform a patient of their medical condition in a timely manner, that might be a breach in the standard of care. When people in Illinois pay a visit to their doctor's office, they often expect to receive an answer as to what is affecting them, as well as possible treatment options. Although many people put their trust and confidence in these medical professionals, mistakes can occur. Not only can mistakes of this nature potentially lead to terrible complications due to delayed treatment, lost chances at conservative treatment or even any treatment, but they may cause serious long-term injuries and even death.
THE ALARMING STATISTICS ON MISDIAGNOSIS
Each year in the U.S., over 12 million adults who seek outpatient medical care receive a misdiagnosis, according to a recent study by BMJ Quality & Safety. That translates to about 5 percent of adults, or 1 out of 20 adult patients. Not all of these failures to diagnose are actionable. Some failures to diagnose lead to de minimus injuries, but a significant number of people suffer terribly because of these failures. According to a Johns Hopkins study between 250,000 and 440,000 people die in the US every year due to misdiagnosis, and medical malpractice is the 3rd leading cause of death in the country.
MISDIAGNOSIS INJURIES ARE THE 3RD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE COUNTRY
For the past 11 years, it has been the mission of Zayed Law Offices to fight to obtain a full remedy for victims of negligence. If a medical misdiagnosis has caused serious complications or injuries, or if a misdiagnosis has caused the death of a family member, then you should consider reaching out to an experienced medical malpractice trial lawyer. At Zayed Law Offices, we truly have the experience and resources in order to remedy wrongs caused by a negligent doctor's misdiagnosis. We are a personal injury trial law firm with an emphasis on medical malpractice including misdiagnosis cases.
If a medical misdiagnosis has caused you to become ill or to undergo unnecessary surgical or medical action, then we can help! At Zayed Law Offices, we truly have the experience and resources in order to remedy any wrongs committed by a negligent doctor's misdiagnosis.