The Financial and Emotional Consequences of Medical Misdiagnosis

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Shapiro Law Group

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Medical misdiagnosis can cause unnecessary worry and excessive medical bills for patients, so it is important doctors ensure they are accurate. Patients with non-life threatening conditions or minor health problems can be misdiagnosed and forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars on expensive treatments.

In fact, The Washington Post recently published an article that did an excellent job describing how patients can be hurt financially and emotionally after being misdiagnosed. The article tells the story of a 61-year-old man who went to the hospital for colonoscopy, but left with severe consequences. Doctors suspected a complication during the procedure and rushed the man into surgery. During the surgery, the 61-year-old almost died on the operating table from cardiac distress.

After the surgery, doctors were forced to implant multiple stents and a pacemaker. Now the man is afraid to leave his house and only goes to church with his wife. According to his wife, he is scared of dying. In many cases, patients and families are forced to pay the medical bills and live with the emotional toll of surviving through traumatic experiences. Some people may never recover emotionally after being misdiagnosed.

Patients Affected by Medical Misdiagnosis May Have Legal Options

Being a doctor involves an enormous amount of responsibility. Patients are depending on doctors to treat health conditions or save their lives. When doctors misdiagnose patients, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a severe breach of trust has occurred. The man we discussed in our blog today will suffer permanent financial and mental health consequences.

When hospitals, doctors or other health care providers are responsible for errors, there is often a paper trail showing what went wrong. An experienced medical malpractice attorney may be able to find evidence of medical wrongdoing and help patients recover financially from their traumatic experiences.

Tags: Healthcare

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