At Cardinal LifeCare Consulting, our licensed legal nurse consultants assist with all manner of medical malpractice and negligence cases, including those relating to a potential missed or late diagnosis. Read on or reach out to us at 724-487-0519 to learn more about how our services can be beneficial in these sorts of cases.
Common Types of Misdiagnosis Lawsuit Cases
If an individual fails to receive a timely diagnosis or one that accurately identifies their condition, the competence and attention to detail demonstrated by the medical provider(s) they’ve seen may be called into question. Getting to the bottom of whether an oversight on the part of a healthcare provider did indeed occur requires in-depth knowledge of what constitutes medical malpractice and negligence.
Legal nurse consultants leverage their training, understanding and research skills in this area to provide clarity when there is an allegation of misdiagnosis. They may also consult or call on other experts in relevant medical disciplines to provide their well-informed input and insights.
When reviewing a case for evidence of malpractice or negligence that may warrant a misdiagnosis lawsuit, experts will look for certain indicators, including:
- A significant amount of time between when the patient began reporting symptoms and when they were diagnosed with a disease or condition;
- A delay in the patient being referred to a specialist;
- An unreasonable delay in a diagnosis being given;
- Use of inappropriate diagnostic procedures;
- A delay in screening/testing being ordered;
- Possible instances of miscommunication among care providers;
- Possible testing errors or misinterpretation of test results;
- And other oversights that could result in missed or late diagnosis.
The scenarios mentioned above can potentially lead to a disease or condition being overlooked, incorrectly diagnosed or diagnosed in the late stages, when the efficacy of treatment may be lowered. In turn, diagnostic delays or mistakes can hold serious consequences for the patient. Determining if negative outcomes can be traced back to error on the part of a healthcare professional calls for the expertise of a knowledgeable medical specialist with relevant training, as does presenting and explaining any standard of care breaches during trial or settlement negotiations.
Cardinal LifeCare Connects Lawyers & Medical Legal Specialists
If you are an attorney working on a case involving alleged medical malpractice or negligence, look to Cardinal LifeCare for valuable resources including medical legal consultants and other medical experts in diverse fields. We provide case-benefitting research and expert witness services, along with evidence-based nursing care plans. To learn more about how our professionals may be able to support your work on a particular case, call us at 724-487-0519.
