Medical Malpractice in Tennessee: Failure to Diagnose

A common medical malpractice lawsuit involves a health care provider’s failure to properly diagnose a patient.  Patients trust their healthcare providers will take the correct steps to accurately identify the source of their symptoms. Unfortunately, far too often providers make an improper diagnosis, or fail to render a diagnosis whatsoever.  Approximately 126,000 people die every year in the United States as a result of doctors misdiagnosing common medical conditions.

An incorrect diagnosis often leads to incorrect treatment. This can result in a delay of proper medical care, or complete lack thereof.  This lost time can be critical.  For example, correctly diagnosing certain cancers can make all the difference in whether a patient has a chance of surviving. 

Failure to diagnose, on the other hand, may result in a patient never receiving the proper medical treatment for his or her condition.   Often, medical conditions are treatable when caught early.  However, failing to diagnose or treat a medical condition may result in worsening the patient’s condition – or even death.  This may be the most common way doctors are negligent, i.e., by failing to treat a medical condition because the doctor views a patient’s symptoms as minor, temporary, or otherwise unworthy of treatment.

Our experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys have represented a number of victims who have suffered adverse results because of a misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose. Some of the missed or incorrect diagnoses we have seen are:

• Appendicitis
• Heart attack
• Aortic dissection
• Infection
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pneumonia
• Cancer misdiagnoses, such as:
  • Cervical cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Testicular cancer

Generally, a delay or failure to diagnose is actionable if it results in further injury, or death.  However, a medical malpractice claim can be a very difficult claim to prove.  The terminology can be complex and difficult to understand.  In addition, you will need expert(s) to prove your claim. 

Thus, if you or a loved one believes you may have suffered an injury due to a negligent health care provider’s misdiagnosis, or failure to diagnose, please contact one of our experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys immediately.  The statute of limitations from the date of the act or omission is only one year and will be barred after that date.

At the Memphis firm of Bailey and Greer, PLLC, our Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys understand how to effectively pursue your claims.  Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in Tennessee personal injury cases which you can learn more about on our firm’s testimonial page.  Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing locally to 901-680-9777 or toll-free to 877-819-4414.