Popular Concussion Test May Lead To Failure To Diagnose

On behalf of Hastings Law Firm P.C. posted in Doctor Errors on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Concussions have the potential to cause a significant amount of damage to victims who suffer one. Especially if it is the second or even third concussion suffered by a Texas patient, the danger can be even more real. Accurately diagnosing a concussion is imperative when it comes to treatment, but a recent study has found that one tool for diagnosing a head injury might not be as accurate as previously thought, and may lead to a failure to diagnose.

A popular test used to diagnose concussions may be inaccurate, say University of Texas researchers. This particular test is mostly used to diagnose concussions in athletes. By measuring reaction time and memory among other cognitive reactions, the test is supposed to pinpoint whether or not a test taker has a concussion.

Researchers found that the test had a surprising result — it routinely showed people who were perfectly healthy had concussions. This led to researchers wondering how many people who had taken this test had been misdiagnosed as either having a concussion when they didn’t, or not having one when they actually did. Researchers have cautioned that this test should not be used alone for diagnosing concussions, and instead should be paired with other diagnosing tools.

Injuries involving the brain are generally fairly serious for the victim. When it comes to diagnosing head injuries such as concussions, accurate diagnosing tests and tools are extremely important for the overall treatment and well-being of a patient. However, when a failure to diagnose this serious condition arises, potential harm can be caused. If a Texas patient has suffered serious injury due to a failure to diagnose a head injury, pursuing a medical malpractice case may provide the patient with possible financial recourse for their pain and suffering. Additionally, any money received can be used to combat medical bills that stemmed from the failure to diagnose.

Source: nbcdfw.com, Popular Concussion Test Not Always Reliable: UTA Researchers, Tim Ciesco, March 19, 2014