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Medical malpractice and the prevalence of misdiagnoses

On Behalf of | Apr 5, 2021 | Medical Malpractice |

Medical malpractice in New Jersey comes in a number of different forms. Among the more commonplace underlying causes are the failure to properly diagnose an illness, disease or medical condition, as well as the failure to make such a diagnosis in a timely manner. These errors can have profound and even fatal implications.

The rate of misdiagnoses

The stark reality is that the failure to diagnosis a medical issue or the failure to make a proper diagnosis in a timely manner is considered a significant problem in the health care industry. With that said, the ability to amass accurate statistics regarding medical misdiagnoses is highly challenging. At the present time, there exists no mechanism for reporting an outpatient misdiagnosis of a person’s medical condition.

Understanding the limitations associated with the collection of misdiagnosis statistics, medical experts put the rate at 5% of all outpatients. Bear in mind that a majority of initial diagnoses of patients is made on an outpatient basis.

When closely considered, the idea that one out of every 20 diagnoses made by a physician is incorrect is alarming. The fact that a misdiagnosis of a medical condition or disease is a common basis for a medical malpractice claim is understandable.

The consequences of a misdiagnosis

If an initial diagnosis of a medical condition or ailment is incorrect, a delay in proper treatment naturally follows. This can enhance the risk that a condition will become more serious or even fatal. If you believe that you have been harmed by a misdiagnosis, a medical malpractice attorney can explain the legal rights that you have.

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