Calgary is home to some of the best medical facilities and professionals in the world. It’s one of the things that makes our city one of the safest cities in the world and one of the best places we can think of to call home. But that doesn’t mean mistakes aren’t made, even by the most qualified and careful medical professionals, and those mistakes can cause serious harm to Calgary patients.
One common type of medical malpractice that is commonly overlooked is a misdiagnosis, or an outright missed diagnosis—when a set of symptoms are thought to be signs of one condition but are actually something else, or when a set of symptoms is dismissed as no cause for concern when in fact there is a serious underlying problem. Both situations can lead to undue harm, unnecessary medical procedures and expenses, prolonged illnesses and time away from work, family, and hobbies, and other disruptions to your life.
When the Wrong Diagnosis Means Malpractice in Calgary
Not all cases of a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis are grounds for a medical malpractice case, of course. The practice of diagnosis isn’t as precise or as certain as we sometimes think it is, and highly trained and skilled Calgary medical professionals might make a reasonable diagnosis that turns out to be incorrect. Only when a serious error and/or deviation from standard medical practice has occurred is there grounds for a malpractice case, and even then only if it results in serious injury or harm to the patient.
When malpractice via an incorrect diagnosis or lack of diagnosis does occur, the effects can be complex and far-reaching. In some cases, what ultimately proves to be a life-threatening condition such as cancer is diagnosed as something more benign, which delays treatment of the true problem can lead to worse outcomes, more invasive and intensive treatments, etc. At times the reverse happens, and a relatively benign condition is misdiagnosed as something far more serious, leading to unnecessarily painful and even dangerous treatments that were not truly called for.
In all cases, if a patient is brought to harm due to an incorrect diagnosis or a lack of diagnosis when a correct diagnosis would have been made by a medical professional adhering to the standards and guidelines of medical malpractice, that patient (and their family) has the right to seek compensation for additional medical costs, lost wages, loss of ability, and pain and suffering. Misdiagnosis is a serious problem, and though it is relatively rare in Calgary the statistics don’t matter when it happens to you or someone you love.
Contact a Compassionate Calgary Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
If you or a family member recently endured a prolonged hospital stay, underwent unnecessary and damaging procedures, or otherwise suffered serious injury due to an incorrect or missed diagnosis, you don’t have to suffer alone. For a free initial consultation with an experienced, compassionate Calgary medical malpractice lawyer, please contact our office today.