Medical Misdiagnosis Lawyer Boston
Supporting Clients After Misdiagnoses in New England
Patients have a right to expect an accurate and timely diagnosis. While some conditions can be difficult to identify, doctors and healthcare providers may be liable when they fail to recognize symptoms, order appropriate testing, or follow accepted screening guidelines. Delayed or incorrect diagnoses can lead to serious complications, reduced treatment options, or even death.
Even with few or no symptoms, many patients should be screened for common diseases such as breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or circulation problems. The purpose of screening is to detect problems before they cause serious harm or death.
If you or a loved one suffered harm because of a wrong or delayed diagnosis, the Boston wrong diagnosis lawyers at Crowe & Harris, LLP can help. Our team carefully reviews medical records, identifies potential negligence, and pursues accountability on behalf of clients throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Wrong or delayed diagnosis? Speak with a Boston medical misdiagnosis attorney at Crowe & Harris, LLP. Call (617) 404-3417 for a free consultation.
Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions
Busy doctors may sometimes ignore a patient’s signs or symptoms, or simply attribute them to stress, muscle strain, heartburn, migraine, or other less serious conditions. If the doctor is wrong, the patient may suffer from serious harm or even death.
In many cases, a patient may suffer from very general symptoms, making it difficult for medical professionals to provide an accurate diagnosis regardless of competence. However, there are a number of different common conditions which have signs and symptoms identifiable enough that most medical professionals are expected to recognize them, but many often fail to do so.
Some of these include the following:
Cancer
A delayed or missed cancer diagnosis can allow the disease to progress and reduce treatment options. When a healthcare provider fails to recognize symptoms, order appropriate testing, or follow up on abnormal results, patients may suffer serious harm. If your cancer diagnosis was delayed due to medical negligence, you may have grounds for a claim. Our Boston wrong diagnosis lawyers can help you through this complicated process.
A heart attack requires immediate diagnosis and treatment. When symptoms are missed or misdiagnosed, patients may face life-threatening complications and significant financial burdens.
It is vital for patients to be aware of the symptoms of heart attacks, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and arm or jaw discomfort. Immediate action and seeking emergency medical attention can substantially alter outcomes and improve survival rates.
Orthopedic Injuries
An orthopedic injury is one that refers to an injury affecting a person’s muscles, joints, ligaments, or skeletal system. These injuries can be extremely painful and, if not diagnosed accurately and in a timely manner, can even cause permanent damage to the injured person.
Some of the more common orthopedic injuries include:
- ACL tears
- Tendinitis
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Chronic joint pain
- MCL tears
- Stress fracture
- Trigger finger
- Plantar fasciitis
- Osteoporosis
A person with a misdiagnosed orthopedic injury may experience a range of unwanted complications, including:
- Pain and discomfort
- Permanent joint damage
- Nerve injuries
- Skeletal deformities
- Paralysis
These complications are easily preventable. Failure to properly diagnose an injury can be considered negligence on the part of the treating physician.
Infection
Infections can occur quickly and as the result of various factors, such as a surgical complication or coming into contact with bacteria. Additionally, infections can quickly become a very serious health problem, if not life-threatening.
When infections go untreated due to a wrong or delayed diagnosis, they can cause a variety of health problems, including:
- Discharge from a wound
- Contagion
- Nausea/vomiting
- Lethargy/fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Dehydration
- Organ damage/failure
- Fatality
Meningitis
Meningitis is a very serious condition that affects a person’s brain and spinal cord. There are five main types of meningitis – bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal, and non-infectious – all of which can have severe, if not fatal, effects on the people who contract them.
A late diagnosis of meningitis can cause a person to suffer from:
- Memory loss
- Persistent and serious headaches
- Changes in vision
- Hearing problems
- Learning difficulties
- Speech difficulties / muddled speech
- Epilepsy/seizures
These complications of meningitis might permanently affect a person or, tragically, result in their death. Swift action and awareness of symptoms, such as severe headaches, neck stiffness, and sudden high fever, are vital for early recognition.
Aneurysm
Arteries perform numerous critical services throughout the body, including supplying blood to the brain. A weakness in the artery wall is referred to as an aneurysm. Since this condition is extremely dangerous, it needs to be monitored closely by a physician. If a medical professional fails to detect or diagnose an aneurysm, it could cost a patient their life.
In the event that a doctor fails to detect or diagnose an aneurysm, a patient could suffer from the following:
- Brain damage
- Coma
- Memory loss
- Lost cognitive skills
- Lost mobility skills
- Fatality
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding is an invisible but often life-threatening condition. It may be hard for a person to know right away that he or she has internal bleeding, but a doctor should be able to tell through appropriate testing (not to mention his or her medical background).
Some of the symptoms of internal bleeding include:
- Abdominal pain
- Headache / lost consciousness
- Light-headedness/dizziness
- Swelling in the legs/pain in thighs
- Skin color changes (especially purplish color)
If you believe that a medical care provider failed to identify these or other conditions in you or a loved one, do not hesitate to take action and contact our medical misdiagnosis attorney in Boston.
Recovering Damages After a Misdiagnosis in Massachusetts
The consequences of a late diagnosis, or a misdiagnosis, can be devastating for victims and their families. However, you do not have to face the consequences of such negligence alone, as our legal team may help you recover the damages you sustained as the result of your physician’s malpractice.
Damages in a misdiagnosis claim can include:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages
Negligent medical practitioners should be held fully accountable when their carelessness results in a worsened health condition in patients. In pursuing damages, it's crucial to provide comprehensive documentation of all medical treatments and expenses incurred due to the misdiagnosis. Vocational assessments may also be necessary to determine lost earning capacity, further establishing the financial impact of the physician’s negligence.
Statute of Limitations for Misdiagnosis Claims in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations typically requires that a medical malpractice lawsuit be filed within three years of the date when the misdiagnosis occurred or when the patient knew, or reasonably should have known, about the injury.
However, there are situations where this timeframe might extend, such as the discovery of a foreign object in the body. The statute of repose limits this further, stating no action can be brought more than seven years after the occurrence, except in cases involving foreign objects.
Why Hire Crowe & Harris, LLP for Your Boston Misdiagnosis Claim?
You put your trust in your doctor to take care of you. You expect them to make a responsible and accurate diagnosis of your health problems each time you visit. While our doctors are human and, as such, may make mistakes, they can and should be held to a higher standard when your health and life are on the line.
Hire our Boston medical misdiagnosis lawyers for:
- Medical and legal resources: We work with a network of medical professionals and industry experts to support claims with credible evidence and expert testimony.
- Proven results: We have recovered nearly $1 billion on behalf of our clients.
- No upfront fees: Our contingency fee structure means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
- Recognized excellence: Our attorneys have been consistently recognized among Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
At Crowe & Harris, LLP, we approach each claim by not having just one individual review your case, but rather a whole team of professionals. We have lawyers, nurses, legal secretaries, and more helping to help get you the best outcome possible. Our team knows how to get the results our clients want to see. Contact Crowe & Harris, LLP at (617) 404-3417 for guidance.
Take the next step today. Contact our Boston medical malpractice team for a free case review with an experienced medical misdiagnosis lawyer.
