Every day, people in Louisiana and elsewhere seek out medical care because they feel it necessary. When one does this, there is always hope that medical professionals will be able to figure out and treat whatever is going on. Unfortunately, mistakes are often made, and some will end up with a mis- or missed diagnosis. When this happens and one suffers a personal injury because of it, he or she may have legal recourse.
A misdiagnosis is where a medical professional diagnoses something incorrectly, causing the patient to undergo treatment for an ailment he or she does not have. A missed diagnosis, on the other hand, is where a physician completely fails to diagnose an issue, causing a patient to be left untreated. Some experts believe that mis- and missed diagnosis rates are much higher than people think -- a staggering 40%.
In some cases, a mis- or missed diagnosis has no real adverse side effects. The patient will heal and go on with life as usual. However, some do suffer severe consequences as a result of failing to receive an accurate diagnosis. Some even fail to survive because of this.
Louisiana residents who are or who have family members who have been victims of a mis- or missed diagnosis may seek compensation for their losses. An experienced personal injury attorney will have the ability to review the details of one's case and help one pursue any appropriate legal claims. If one's case is successful, monetary damages for any legally recoverable losses -- such as medical costs, pain and suffering, and, if applicable, funeral expenses -- may be achieved.
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