The Dangers of Wrong / Incorrect Diagnoses

Most people expect that when they visit a doctor or other medical professional, they will receive a diagnosis for their problems in a reasonable amount of time and will subsequently be provided with appropriate treatment for this condition.

Unfortunately, far too many people suffering from serious medical conditions do not receive such treatment. While medical malpractice takes many forms, all posing their own serious risks, one of the most dangerous medical mistakes occurs when a doctor (or other medical worker) provides a patient with an incorrect diagnosis.

Life Threatening Consequences

When a patient is given an incorrect diagnosis, he or she is subjected to not one, but two medical mistakes. The first is “incorrect treatment”. A person who is given a wrong diagnosis will subsequently receive incorrect treatment for a condition he or she does not have. This could include anything from unnecessary medication to an unnecessary surgical procedure, both of which are extremely dangerous and could result in the patient’s death.

Not only will a wrong diagnosis result in a patient receiving unnecessary treatment, but he or she will also suffer from a lack of treatment / diagnosis, as the actual underlying medical condition will be untreated and will most likely get worse.

This is especially dangerous when a person is suffering from a time-sensitive illness, like cancer. If someone with cancer is diagnosed as having a different condition, the cancer will continue to spread and worsen. By the time the correct diagnosis is made, the cancer may have progressed to a point that it is no longer treatable.

Contact Us

If you have been given an incorrect diagnosis by a medical professional, contact a Cincinnati personal injury lawyer at Stepleton Dugan, LLC today at 513-321-7733 to schedule a consultation.