Medical Misdiagnosis and Claims for Compensation
A medical misdiagnosis can prove catastrophic for the patient's long-term outcome. Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss the possibility of making a claim for compensation if you or a loved one have been affected by this unfortunate situation.
The impact of a medical misdiagnosis
For some medical conditions, a delay in diagnosis can be utterly life-changing. Indeed, in some circumstances, a misdiagnosis may have fatal consequences as the patient's actual condition continues to develop unrecognised and untreated.
Examples of where this can occur could include the following life-threatening illnesses where a speedy diagnosis and emergency or urgent treatment can be the key to survival:
- Cancer
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Necrotising fasciitis
- Sepsis
The problem with a misdiagnosis of a patient's symptoms is that it can lead to a variety of very unhelpful situations:
- The patient may return home reassured that their condition is not life-threatening and may fail to act on further developments
- Further tests or treatment which might be crucial to the patient's survival do not take place because no referral is made in the belief that the patient's diagnosis does not merit such a course of action
- The medical professional involved may not provide the patient with the appropriate red flag warnings or arrange adequate safety-netting to avoid a serious problem developing
When to claim compensation
If a medical professional has the opportunity to recognise the possible symptoms of a serious condition and fails to do so, or fails to carry out an adequate examination or seek a second opinion, leading to a misdiagnosis, they may be regarded as having provided negligent care.
If the patient suffers a worse long-term outcome as a result of the negligent care, they are legally entitled to make a claim for compensation.
A successful compensation claim will take account of not only the patient's pain and suffering but also of any financial losses experienced by the patient as a result of the negligent care they have suffered. This could include any loss of earnings if the patient's ability to work has been compromised by the impact of their negligent medical care.
Speak to a legal specialist
If you believe that either yourself or a loved one may have been the victim of negligent medical care and are struggling with the on-going impact, a medical negligence legal specialist will be able to advise you as to whether or not you may have a valid claim.
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of experienced lawyers and long-standing expertise in high-value claims.
Contact us today to talk to a legal specialist, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim for negligent care.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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