Study Claims Physician Error And Misdiagnosis Alarmingly High
On behalf of Hastings Law Firm posted in Doctor Errors on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.
A misdiagnosis for a condition or illness can result in potentially serious harm, especially if the wrong medications are involved. A recent study by Texas researchers revealed that the rate of physician error when it comes to a misdiagnosis is strikingly high. In the U.S., about 12 million adults will receive a misdiagnosis for their condition.
The researchers ultimately set out to try to determine the rate of diagnostic errors in medical settings like clinics and doctors’ offices. The lead author for the study noted that there is indeed a problem when it comes to the accuracy of diagnosing nearly 1 in 20 adult patients. Since most diagnoses are made in outpatient clinics, such as the office of a family practitioner or a specialist, the researchers urge that action should be taken to combat the high rate of misdiagnosed individuals.
The number of patients who received a misdiagnosis was computed by combining data from previous studies. What they ended up with was nearly 3,000 sets of medical records to review. All in all, the rate of misdiagnosis was found to be over 5 percent. But researchers didn’t stop there, and noted that potential faults in medical records could actually mean a higher misdiagnosis rate.
Receiving a misdiagnosis can be particularly dangerous for a Texas patient. Certain illnesses and conditions require specific medication, and when the wrong medication is administered or the correct one withheld due to a physician error, significant harm can occur to an individual. For those who have been harmed due to a misdiagnosis, a medical malpractice claim might be a good first step toward gaining legal and financial recourse for any injury that was subsequently suffered.
Source: Inter Aksyon, “About 12 million U.S. outpatients misdiagnosed annually”, Curtis Skinner, April 18, 2014
Don’t Wait To Get the Help You Deserve.
Call Our Experienced Texas Medical Malpractice Law Firm Today!
Call Now
OUR INJURY LAW FIRM
Areas Of Practice
Our attorneys have extensive experience examining, preparing, and presenting complicated medical evidence for all types of healthcare related injuries. We have helped clients all across Texas recover compensation for mistakes made by physicians, hospital staff, nurses, medical facilities, and pharmacists.
Prescription Drug Injury
Prescription medications are not as safe as pharmaceutical companies would have us believe. If you suffer severe side effects after taking a prescribed drug, you...
Nursing Malpractice
Nurses are under intense pressure in medical facilities, often resulting in nursing errors which cause harm to patients. Our lawyers are skilled in handling mistakes...
Hospital Malpractice
A hospital stay shouldn't result in additional injuries or illnesses to patients. Those harmed at a medical facility by negligence or a lack of duty...
Surgical Errors
Surgical mistakes can cause serious injuries & possible life-long issues. If you underwent surgery and suffered an unnecessary side effect, injury, or repeat surgery due...
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries resulting from medical malpractice are among the most devastating injuries a family can suffer. Call now if you have reason to believe your...
Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home staff are expected to provide their residents a high quality care. If you think that your loved one has sustained a trauma due...
Failure to Diagnose
Missing a diagnosis is a severe and not unusual mistake. If you have suffered as a result of a medical professional failing to discover your...
Medical Negligence
When a medical professional makes an error, the damages can be severe and lifelong. If you think that you have suffered an injury as a...
Personal Injury
If you have suffered harm due to negligent actions of others, you may be entitled to compensation. Our law firm represents victims throughout Texas who've...
SPEAK WITH AN EXPERT
HAVE QUESTIONS? NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE A CASE? WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
Don’t Wait! Contact Us Today to Get the Help You Deserve From One of the Best Medical Malpractice Law Firms in Texas.
We represent clients from all across Texas. If you or a loved one has been injured by medical negligence of a healthcare provider or facility, contact us now for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys will review the details of your case, make sure you understand your legal rights, and discuss the possibilities of a lawsuit. Call us at the number below or complete the form and a member of our staff will contact you as soon as possible. All consultations are strictly confidential.
NO WIN. NO FEE!
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
A HISTORY OF
SUCCESS
Tommy Hastings and his team of personal injury attorneys have successfully tried and settled thousands of medical negligence lawsuits across Texas, resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars in compensation for their clients. These results have earned them the reputation of being one of the best medical malpractice plaintiff firms in Texas.