A doctor’s failure to diagnose can lead to long-term or permanent disabilities or even death. Proving this error is complicated and involves collecting medical records, interviewing witnesses, and obtaining expert witness reports or testimony. You will go up against doctors, hospitals, other medical professionals, and their high-priced lawyers.

The fight is difficult, and you should not have to fight for your rights on your own, especially when you do not feel well or just lost a loved one because of a medical professional’s negligence.

The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at Zayed Law Offices can fight for your rights and help you recover the compensation you deserve—not some lowball offer to make you go away.

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Table of Contents

• How to Know if You Have a Failure to Diagnose Case
• Common Conditions That Are Often Misdiagnosed
• Going up Against Lawyers for Medical Professionals
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

How Do I Know if I Have a Failure to Diagnose Case?

It can sometimes be challenging to determine whether you have a failure to diagnose case. The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at Zayed Law Offices have experience with this type of case and have extensive knowledge of the law surrounding the failure to diagnose. They also work with medical professionals to help determine failures.

If you suspect that you might have a failure to diagnose case, you should contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. The attorney will review your matter and let you know whether you have a case. Our case evaluations are free, so it does not cost you anything to learn more.

Some situations that are most likely failure to diagnose matters include:

• Doctors and other medical professionals do not refer the patient to a specialist.
• Medical professionals do not properly interpret lab and other test results.
• Doctors and medical professionals do not investigate the causes of reported symptoms. I.e., they do not listen to the patient.
• Medical professionals do not consult with the patient regarding the patient’s symptoms.
• Medical professionals do not screen for certain medical conditions.
• Medical professionals do not follow up with the patients.

Common Conditions That Are Often Misdiagnosed

While doctors might let a condition go undiagnosed, diagnose it late, or misdiagnose it, some common issues that are more likely to see legal action include:

• Breast cancer.
• Lung cancer.
• Colon cancer.
• Asthma.
• Melanoma.
• Lymph node inflammation.
• Heart attacks.
• Fractures.
• Meningitis.
• Staph infections.
• Fetal distress.
• Strokes.

According to the NIH/National Center for Biotechnology Information, about 75 percent of serious harm from errors in diagnosing come from infections, vascular events, and cancers. These three categories also represent almost half of the malpractice claims across the United States.

Those who suspect a misdiagnosis should seek a second opinion or even a third opinion as soon as possible. And they should also contact a medical malpractice lawyer with experience handling Chicago failure to diagnose claims.

Going up Against Lawyers for Medical Professionals

Doctors, medical professionals, hospitals, and other medical entities have malpractice insurance—and that insurance comes with lawyers with big pockets. Hospitals only care about their profits, and their lawyers will fight to keep those profits from dwindling.

Instead of worrying about a misdiagnosis case, you should be concerned with getting proper treatment and recovering. It is hard to do that when trying to settle or prepare for trial. The medical malpractice attorneys at Zayed Law Offices can do that for you. We can investigate your case and conduct settlement negotiations on your behalf. If the insurance companies refuse to come to a fair and reasonable settlement, we can prepare for trial.

You will not have to worry about the insurance company’s lawyers telling half-truths and not disclosing important information to convince you to take a lower settlement amount. We even contact expert witnesses for you to create reports or testify in court on your behalf.

Society and professionals hold doctors and medical professionals to a high standard of care. If they do not meet that, they could be negligent in their actions or inactions, and you could recover damages.

Regardless of the industry standards for medical care and diagnosis, the attorneys will look for any reason to deny a claim. Barring that, they will try to convince you to take the lowest amount possible. Many times, that amount would not even cover the medical expenses you incurred because of the failure to diagnose.

FAQ

+ What are the consequences of a misdiagnosis?

In some cases, the misdiagnosis might lead to minor discomfort until you receive proper medical attention. However, some misdiagnoses could lead to catastrophic injuries or even death. Even if injuries seem minor, a victim of failure to diagnose may never feel right for the rest of their life.

+ How much is my Chicago failure to diagnose case worth?

The value of your case depends on several factors, including the severity of your injuries. Some might become permanent disabilities.

The more a doctor’s misdiagnosis affects your health or life, the more damages you could recover, including:

• Past and future medical expenses.
• Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity.
• Death-related expenses, including funeral and burial costs.
• Pain and suffering.
• Loss of use of a body part or bodily function.
• Excessive scarring and/or disfigurement.
• Amputation of a digit or limb.

+ What are catastrophic injuries?

A catastrophic injury causes permanent disabilities or the death of the injured. Catastrophic injuries because of medical malpractice could include undiagnosed or misdiagnosed traumatic brain injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding, and injuries to organs because of slow diagnosis, misdiagnosis, or no diagnosis.

Contact a Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney at Zayed Law Offices

After a medical misdiagnosis, you might not feel well enough to take legal action against the doctor. It is often complex, and you should not handle such a case without our legal advice.

While you concentrate on obtaining the proper medical care and recovering, the Chicago failure to diagnose attorneys at Zayed Law Offices can take steps to recover the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (312) 883-6907 or contact us online for your free claim evaluation.
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