Shocking Statistics On Diagnosis Errors In Florida
Misdiagnosis of medical conditions remains a problem in the medical field, occurring often enough that health care professionals have banded together to reduce the prevalence of diagnostic errors. The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) aims to increase awareness and identify strategies for preventing harm to patients. Researchers have analyzed the data and published some disturbing findings: Around 12 million Americans are affected by diagnosis mistakes every year, and almost everyone in the US will experience misdiagnosis during their lifetime.
When diagnostic mistakes represent a breach of the standard of care that applies to physicians, Florida medical malpractice laws apply. You might qualify for compensation if you suffered medical costs, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses. Retaining a Tampa diagnosis errors lawyer should be a priority, as solid representation makes the biggest impact early on in the process. Additional statistics about misdiagnosis shed some light on the misdiagnosis problem.
Disturbing Misdiagnosis Data
The societal costs for the 12 million people who do not receive an accurate diagnosis is estimated to be up to $100 billion every year. Plus:
- More than 100,000 patients suffer fatal injuries or permanent disability because of improper diagnosis.
- The conditions most often misdiagnosed are cancers, vascular events, and infections, a.k.a., the Big Three in misdiagnosis.
- On their first visit to a health care provider for a medical condition, 1 in 5 patients receive the wrong diagnosis.
Questions to Ask Your Diagnosis Errors Attorney
Besides getting details on the lawyer’s experience and knowledge in the area of medical malpractice, important questions include:
What are the strengths and weaknesses with my claim? There are no guarantees when pursuing a med mal case, so you will want to know whether you have an edge.
Will my case settle or go to trial? Depending on the strengths of your case, it may be wise to settle for a reasonable sum. You gain certainty, whereas there are always risks when taking a case to trial.
Do I need medical experts for a misdiagnosis case? Yes, it will be necessary in most misdiagnosis cases because you will need a medical professional who can address two key issues: The relevant standard of care and how your provider breached it when diagnosing you.
What is the timing of a med mal case? The statute of limitations is two years, though you could gain additional time if you did not discover the harm right away. In addition, there are time considerations that apply before filing a lawsuit. The pre-suit requirements are subject to certain deadlines.
Discuss Legal Remedies with a Tampa, FL Diagnosis Errors Attorney
Our team at Greco & Wozniak P.A. is prepared to answer these and many other questions about your misdiagnosis case. For more information on how the legal process works for medical malpractice cases, please contact our offices in Tampa, FL to set up a no-cost case assessment. You can reach us by calling 813.223.7849 or going online. A misdiagnosis lawyer can offer specifics after reviewing your circumstances.
