When Should You Contact a Misdiagnosis Lawyer?
When you contact your doctor about a medical condition you’re struggling with, you trust that they will do their best to help you. While most physicians would never harm their patients on purpose, mistakes can happen, and they can sometimes have grave consequences for the patient in question. If your doctor has failed to diagnose you properly, you should contact a misdiagnosis lawyer in the Baltimore area who can help you to resolve the situation.
But is it always a good idea to get in touch with a lawyer? Sometimes, the mistake might not affect you in a significant way, in which case legal action might not be appropriate. However, you should always get help if you have suffered physical or emotional harm due to the misdiagnosis, your doctor failed to diagnose a severe condition, or a loved one has died as a result of the medical professional’s actions.
Contacting a Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Baltimore
There are many different reasons why you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer in your area, but the most important question to ask yourself is whether you’ve been harmed by your doctor’s actions. If the misdiagnosis has caused you issues and you can prove that it is affecting your life in a negative way, you can most likely win your lawsuit. You can also fight for your rights if a loved one died or if your doctor misdiagnosed you on purpose.
You Suffered Physical Harm
One of the most common issues that comes up with a misdiagnosis case is physical harm. Not only will your treatment be delayed because your condition hasn’t been diagnosed accurately, but you may also have been taking the wrong medication. This can cause further damage to your body, and you should definitely look for an experienced attorney in order to gain the compensation you deserve.
Sometimes, your doctor may diagnose you with a condition that you don’t have, such as cancer. If this happens, you may undergo unnecessary and damaging treatment like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This can have long-lasting and debilitating effects on your life, to the point that you might not be able to support your family anymore.
You Suffered Emotional Pain
If your doctor wrongfully diagnosed you with a severe condition like cancer, this can not only lead to physical harm but also to a lot of emotional pain. Severe diagnoses are often associated with mental health challenges, particularly if your doctor tells you that you are very ill and may die. In addition to being compensated for physical problems related to the physician’s mistake, you can also receive payment for this emotional struggle.
Your Doctor Failed to Diagnose You
One particularly damaging type of misdiagnosis is the failure to diagnose. While you may struggle if you’ve been told you have a condition that you don’t actually suffer from, this is unlikely to be fatal. However, delayed treatment resulting from a failure to recognize a condition you do have can mean that you’re not able to properly or timely recover and you may suffer long-lasting consequences.
A condition that is an issue is stroke in younger patients, as it isn’t very common and doctors therefore don’t always screen for it. When a patient who is unlikely to suffer from this illness comes in with stroke symptoms, doctors sometimes assume that the person has a migraine or another minor issue. In the worst-case scenario, this patient may pass away or suffer from long-term health problems.
A Loved One Has Died
Many of our clients have been misdiagnosed themselves, but sometimes, relatives or friends contact us because their loved one passed away as a result of a doctor’s mistake. If you’re impacted by the death in a significant way, you might be able to file a lawsuit.
For example, the deceased person might have been the breadwinner of your family and you aren’t sure how you can now support yourself. Aside from financial issues, emotional harm caused by the death will also be considered. A competent misdiagnosis lawyer in Baltimore will speak to you about your experience in a compassionate way, and they will let you know what type of support you can expect to receive.
Your Doctor Misdiagnosed You on Purpose
Aspects of criminal law might come into play if you were misdiagnosed on purpose. This is exceedingly rare because the vast majority of doctors would never harm their patients, but it is not unheard of. Sometimes, it can happen because the medical professional is trying to push a certain treatment that they are getting a financial benefit from.
If you feel that your physician didn’t do their best to help you or tried to misdiagnose you on purpose, it’s vital that you seek legal assistance immediately. This could be happening to other people, and such a doctor needs to be held accountable for their actions.
Hiring a Good Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Now that you’re aware of when you might need to speak to a lawyer, you’ll be wondering how to find one who can help you to achieve the result you desire. Aside from great credentials and local experience, your lawyer should also have a good reputation in the community. You can check on the website and speak to them at the initial consultation to find out whether they might be a good fit.
Great Credentials and Local Experience
While a brand-new lawyer will have enthusiasm and up-to-date knowledge, someone with a lot of experience and solid local connections is most likely a better fit for you, particularly if you’re still suffering from the physical and emotional trauma associated with the misdiagnosis.
If you’re satisfied with what you see, you can book in for an initial consultation and meet with the professional. Keep in mind that if you visit a big law firm with many different attorneys, you can always switch if the initial person assigned to you isn’t a good fit. Additionally, a larger-sized firm may have more attorneys, resources and support staff to dedicate to your case.
An Excellent Reputation
You’ll also need to find out whether the attorney has a good reputation and how their previous cases have resolved. On the “Verdicts & Settlements” page of the website, you will find out what kind of compensation other clients received, which gives you a better idea of what to expect. Additionally, you can have a look at some independent reviews and client testimonials, which will provide you with vital information about other people’s experiences.
Misdiagnosis can have a significant impact on your life, particularly if your condition is severe or life-threatening. By not catching it early, your doctor may have shortened your life or prolonged your illness unnecessarily. If you’ve been affected by this issue, you can contact a misdiagnosis lawyer local to the area where you live, who will be able to help you to receive compensation for the difficulties you are experiencing due to the mistake.
To make sure you have a good experience, you should always hire the best lawyer you can. Check the attorney’s credentials and whether they have significant local experience. They should also have some contacts in the medical field and an excellent reputation both in the legal field and the wider community. Contact us at Peter Angelos Law in Baltimore, MD to book your initial consultation and find out how we will help you to fight for your rights.