Holding Doctors Accountable for Medical Misdiagnosis
Doctors do the best they can by following the standards of care in the medical profession. But, in some cases, they make mistakes — like failure to diagnose serious medical conditions that should be treated. They do not run the appropriate tests, or they miss test results that should have been obvious indicators of a condition. When this happens, they must be held accountable for the harm they cause.
A board certified radiologist failed to detect lung cancer that was clearly visible on an x-ray. This failure delayed treatment that may have otherwise saved the life of the patient. Because of his failure to diagnose, a life was lost.
Our legal team, led by attorney Troy Stafford, serves the victims of medical misdiagnosis throughout North Carolina. Our Charlotte law office uses years of experience and in-depth knowledge to help people affected by medical malpractice hold doctors accountable for the harm caused.
In addition to our work with clients suffering the aftereffects of misdiagnosis, we also help victims of the wrong diagnosis. Wrong diagnosis is common in emergency and trauma settings and often involves sending someone home who has actually had a heart attack (commonly misdiagnosed as angina) or a stroke (commonly misdiagnosed as a migraine or severe tension headache). Unfortunately, not only can lasting health effects occur as a result of these wrong diagnoses, they can also be fatal.
Holding the Right Medical Professionals Accountable for Failure to Diagnose
Medical malpractice, like failure to diagnose, is not limited to medical doctors. It is also committed by nurses, nurse practitioners, specialists and health care facilities. Hospitals may also be responsible for your injuries. Legally, hospitals can be held directly responsible for their own negligence. They can also be held “vicariously” liable for the medical malpractice of the healthcare professionals they employ.
To decide if a medical professional should be held accountable for medical malpractice, a jury will often consider the testimony of experts. These experts are usually other doctors who discuss the “standard of care” — the level of care and skill that a physician or surgeon of the same medical specialty would use under similar circumstances. If another, similar doctor in similar circumstances would have diagnosed you with your medical condition, the jury may find that your doctor has committed malpractice.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one are living with the consequences of the failure to diagnose cancer or another illness, contact Troy Stafford at DeVore, Acton & Stafford, PA, by calling 704-837-0150 or toll-free at 866-600-0654. You may also complete our online contact form.
1321 E. Morehead St