Data shows that doctors misdiagnose one out of five patients. A misdiagnosis may involve a serious illness or condition. Cancer is one of the most common diseases misdiagnosed, which is the primary reason to get a second opinion to confirm the first one.
We trust the general practitioners and specialists that take care of us. Many of us have doctor-patient relationships that span decades. Nonetheless, doctors are human and make mistakes like everyone else. When you consider that a misdiagnosis of a medical illness or condition may be irreversible and result in long-term effects that diminish quality of life or even cause death, none of us can afford not to get a second opinion.
More often than we may like to think, doctors misdiagnose patients. Misdiagnosis can entail other actions besides identifying the incorrect medical condition. It may also involve a failure to diagnose anything at all or diagnose correctly but too late.
Physicians may ignore the symptom claims of patients, especially those of women and minorities. Doctors may fail to conduct tests in time or at all. Doctors may also misinterpret test results, or a test may fail to detect a tumor.
Because some forms of cancer are rare or have symptoms that resemble other conditions, physicians may fail to make a correct diagnosis. They may fail to refer a patient to a specialist when necessary. A second office visit, array of tests, and second opinion help ensure that none of these errors cause any serious harm.
A viable medical malpractice case requires a team of experts, legal and medical, to succeed. Powell Law’s team has the necessary expertise and experience to help victims of professional negligence recover damages. At Powell Law, it is our goal to protect and assert our clients’ rights effectively. Powell Law has an established 115-year-old reputation throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE, and you don’t pay unless we win!
