Misdiagnosis

Accurate diagnosis is vital for effective medical treatment.

Patients come to their doctor with symptoms and the doctor must then interpret those symptoms and come to a decision about what the problem is. This is diagnosis. Since this process is at the root of medicine, the risk of misdiagnosis is present in all practice areas and cuts across all specialist medical fields.

It is true to say that a large number of clinical negligence claims are based on misdiagnosis. However, it is also true to say that the clinical signs that a doctor bases his or her diagnosis on are not always clear and unequivocal. This means that not all misdiagnoses are negligent and the circumstances of the case must be considered carefully.

Misdiagnosis covers two scenarios:

• where a diagnosis was made that no reasonable doctor could have made and subsequent treatment caused damage
• where an original diagnosis should have been reconsidered at a later date because of further evidence or new developments

If you feel that the diagnosis you received was not right, or that the treatment you have received is not helping because your doctor has not accurately diagnosed your symptoms, you should get in touch with us.

If you would like to discuss a medical negligence claim relating to misdiagnosis in confidence, please contact us for discreet and impartial advice.