New Study Says Misdiagnosis Is Most Costly Medical Mistake
There are many ways doctors and other health care professionals can act negligently. However, a new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine has found that misdiagnosis is the most common, the most costly, and produces the most catastrophic results. The study also showed that misdiagnoses made during vascular events, infections, and cancers are the most common. These account for three-quarters of all injuries resulting from a diagnostic error.
When someone has been the victim of a misdiagnosis, their condition may worsen and, as such, they suffer much greater injuries. Sometimes, these mistakes are even fatal for the patient. When that is the case, victims must speak to a Chicago medical malpractice attorney about their legal rights.
The Big Three
During the course of the study, researchers found misdiagnoses occurred most commonly in cases that involved:
- Vascular events
- Infections
- Cancers
Throughout the study, researchers referred to these conditions as the “big three.”
Of these conditions, misdiagnoses in cancer cases were the most common. Misdiagnosis errors in cancer cases accounted for more than one-third of “high-severity” cases involving permanent disability or death. Vascular events accounted for about 23 percent of these cases. Infections had the least amount of errors found among the big three, although the number is still alarming at 13.5 percent.
These three events are broken down into even more specific conditions. These conditions include heart attacks, meningitis, blood clots, as well as skin and breast cancer. The conditions within the big three that were most likely to be misdiagnosed, however, were lung cancer, sepsis, and stroke.
Researchers also found that cancer misdiagnoses are likely to occur in an outpatient setting. Mistakes made in vascular and infection cases were most likely to occur within a hospital emergency room. The most common cause of misdiagnoses, according to the scientists, was failures in judgement, or negligence.
How Our Attorneys Can Help
A misdiagnosis, particularly when made in cases involving the big three, often causes irreparable harm. Patients are left partially or completely disabled, and sometimes their condition worsens to the point that chances of survival are very low.
When this is the case, injured patients may be able to file a medical malpractice claim against the doctor who misdiagnosed their condition. Those who have lost someone due to a misdiagnosis may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim against the negligent healthcare worker, clinic, or hospital.
Our attorneys can help you determine who to file the lawsuit against and what to expect in every step of these claims. Our attorneys are not intimidated by insurance companies and will negotiate with them on your behalf in pursuit of the fair settlement you deserve. Your lawyer will also reach out to our network of experts in the field to provide testimony that will substantiate your claims.
These are just a few of the ways our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys can help with your claim. While you focus on your recovery, we will aggressively pursue the compensation you need.
Call an Illinois Medical Malpractice Attorney Who Can Help
If you’ve been injured or have lost someone to a medical misdiagnosis, you could be entitled to compensation. These are some of the most complex personal injury cases, however, and you shouldn’t take on your case alone.
At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys can help. Contact us today for your free consultation so we can get started on your case.
