Dallas Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Giving a Voice to the Injured

The moment we step into a doctor’s office, we place our trust in them. They are responsible for diagnosing our illnesses and finding a way to treat them. They have a duty to provide quality medical care, diagnose the appropriate conditions, and find solutions to heal them. Unfortunately, physicians too often fail to properly care for their patient, which can lead to extensive injuries and wrongful death.

If you or a loved one has been affected by a wrong diagnosis, it’s crucial to consult with a Dallas misdiagnosis lawyer. Proving that a misdiagnosis constitutes malpractice requires demonstrating that the healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care in diagnosing your condition. This often involves complex medical evidence and expert testimony, making it essential to have knowledgeable legal representation on your side.

Our team at Aldous \ Walker LLP can help you navigate the legal process, gather the necessary evidence, and advocate for the compensation you deserve to cover medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and all other damages. Call (214) 307-6307 to learn more in a free consultation.

Misdiagnosis vs. Missed Diagnosis

Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis are the leading causes of serious injuries and medical fatalities.

• A misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor incorrectly identifies a patient’s symptoms and assigns the wrong cure.
• A missed diagnosis happens when the physician fails to recognize signs of an illness at all and does not prescribe any treatments or recovery plan.

Both incidents can lead to the worsening of the condition’s symptoms, serious harm, and potential death. So, can you sue a doctor for misdiagnosis? Yes! Call our misdiagnosis lawyers in Dallas to see if you have a case.

Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions

Research shows that most doctors spend an average of 11 to 15 minutes with each patient, sometimes even less. Rushing time with a patient can mean the physicians can potentially miss important symptoms or signs to serious health problems. If a doctor negligently misdiagnosis a patient, and that person sustains major harm, they can possibly have grounds to file a lawsuit.

Some illnesses can cause extensive harm that can cost a significant amount of money to treat. Some of the symptoms would not have progressed if doctors had treated it correctly the first time. Our Dallas misdiagnosis attorneys can help you file a lawsuit for common medical misdiagnoses.

Commonly misdiagnosed conditions include:

• Cancer
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Celiac disease
• Thyroid conditions
• Pulmonary embolism
• Aortic dissection
• Lupus
• Fibromyalgia

Statistics on Missed & Misdiagnosis Diagnosis

Missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis occur too often in the United States. Studies show a significant amount of harm that has come from doctors wrongfully diagnosing their patients. Experts estimate that an average of 12 million Americans are diagnosed incorrectly.

Other misdiagnosis statistics include:

• Specific cancers are misdiagnosed 44% of the time
• 5% of all adults will receive a diagnostic error
• Diagnostic errors cause 10% of all patient deaths
• 33.5% of individuals experiencing a pulmonary embolism are sent home

Common Causes of Diagnostic Errors

There are several common scenarios where misdiagnosis can occur.

A physician may mistake the symptoms of one disease for another, such as confusing heart attack symptoms with those of indigestion, which can delay critical treatment. Similarly, a failure to recognize the signs of cancer in its early stages can lead to delayed treatment, significantly reducing the patient’s chances of survival.

Misdiagnosis can also involve incorrect interpretation of diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, MRIs, or lab results. For instance, a radiologist might overlook a tumor on a scan, or a pathologist might misread a biopsy, leading to an incorrect diagnosis.

In most cases, misdiagnoses can be attributed to preventable factors such as:

• Inadequate patient evaluation
• Communication failures between healthcare providers
• Miscommunication with patients (e.g., not listening to patient concerns)
• Failure to order the appropriate diagnostic tests
• Reliance on inaccurate or outdated tests
• Cognitive bias (e.g., anchoring or confirmation bias)
• Inadequate follow-up on abnormal findings
• Failure to review test results promptly
• High patient volume and time constraints
• Incomplete or inaccurate medical records
• Failure to refer the patient to a specialist
• Inexperience with rare or complex conditions
• Insufficient training or knowledge

Understanding the Consequences of an Incorrect Diagnosis

The consequences of misdiagnosis are often severe. Patients may undergo unnecessary or harmful treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or medications that cause adverse effects without addressing the underlying condition. Alternatively, they may not receive the treatment they need, allowing the actual disease to progress unchecked.

In both scenarios, the patient’s health and quality of life can deteriorate significantly. Furthermore, the emotional and financial toll of dealing with a misdiagnosis can be overwhelming for patients and their families, as they grapple with worsening health, lost wages, and mounting medical bills.

Can You Sue a Doctor or Hospital for Misdiagnosis?

While it can be easy to blame the doctors for not properly doing their jobs, it is difficult to determine whether your case will hold up in court. In order to sue for medical malpractice, you need to meet certain criteria.

To decide if you have grounds for a lawsuit, ask yourself the following:

• Did the misdiagnosis cause serious injuries and harm?
• Did someone die because of a missed diagnosis?
• Was the doctor negligent in the way they analyzed your symptoms?
• If the doctor had acted different, could the harm be avoided?

If you answered yes to any of these, you may have a case for medical malpractice.

At Aldous \ Walker, our experienced attorneys can help you seek the compensation you deserve through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our law firm takes the time to get to know our clients. In order to better represent your case, we get to know you. Our medical misdiagnosis attorneys will find out what you went through and how this has affected your life.

Not only that, but our whole team helps with your case. Everyone at the firm will look at the details of your claim to anticipate arguments from every angle and to ensure we do not miss anything. For us, our clients become like family, for whom we would do anything. Contact our malpractice law firm today.

If you were injured because of an incorrect diagnosis, contact our misdiagnosis attorneys in Dallas for a free consultation. Call (214) 307-6307 or send us a message online.