Whenever you feel something is wrong with your body, you take the time to go see your doctor. You may feel a sharp pain in your stomach or you could be coughing an excessive amount. Whatever the case may be, you expect your doctor to provide you with the proper care you need in a timely manner. Unfortunately, there are times when diagnosis of the real issue is delayed. This can have serious consequences and leave the patient severely injured or permanently damaged.
At The Law Office of Snyder & Snyder, P.A., our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys understand how dangerous delayed diagnosis can be. We know what can occur as a result. Because of this, we outline some of the dangers of delayed diagnosis below.
One of the dangers of delayed diagnosis is that the patient would not get the medication necessary. If the doctor fails to diagnose a patient during the first visit, the condition may worsen. The medication or treatment needed to help remedy the condition may not be administered. The condition can become severe and leave the patient with a long-term disability or result in death.
A delayed diagnosis can be more severe with certain conditions than with others. For instance, if a patient has cancer and the diagnosis is delayed, when the cancer is finally found, it may be too late to do anything about it. The cancer may be too far in the late stages to treat.
If a patient has an infection that is not diagnosed right away, it could spread to other areas of the body, including vital organs. Furthermore, a condition that worsens because of a delayed diagnosis may require significant medical attention in the future or develop into more, related conditions.
It is extremely important for doctors to pay close attention and provide proper care when dealing with a patient. They must officially rule out conditions based on proper testing before they can move on to another potential diagnosis. If they fail in this action, a patient who sustains serious damage may seek compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our firm can help you take this action and right the wrongs done to you.
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