When you visit a doctor with a medical issue, you expect the doctor will perform the appropriate testing and diagnose your condition so you can get treatment. Unfortunately, sometimes care providers fall short in fulfilling this obligation.
Delayed diagnosis can cause your condition to become much worse and, in some cases, to become untreatable. When this happens, you may be able to hold your doctor accountable if a reasonable care provider would have done a better job in diagnosing your medical issue.
The Philadelphia med mal lawyers at Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., can help in these difficult situations. We have a long history of representing clients whose doctors failed them, and we can help you to prove that your doctor fell short and should compensate you because of it. Give us a call today at (610) 825-0500 to talk with a Philadelphia delayed diagnosis lawyer to learn more.
Can You Recover Compensation For A Delayed Diagnosis?
Delayed diagnosis can lead to a medical malpractice claim, but only if you can show the doctor should have correctly identified your medical issue, but failed to do so. You will need to demonstrate:
- The doctor had a legal duty to you. The doctor must have been in a position where he or she had an obligation to provide you with professional-quality medical care.
- The doctor failed in their professional obligation. You will need to show that a reasonably competent professional with the same training would have diagnosed you in a more timely manner. For example, a dermatologist would have a stronger obligation to diagnose skin cancer on time compared with an ER doctor or a podiatrist, or a dentist.
- The failure was the direct cause of harm. You will have to show that you were hurt by the delayed diagnosis or suffered extra harm as a result of it. The delay, not the underlying condition, must have damaged you in a way that otherwise would not have happened had you received your diagnosis on time.
- You suffered harm that you can be compensated for. Examples include costlier medical bills, worse pain and suffering due to your delayed diagnosis, more work time missed because of the delay, and emotional damage due to the delay. If the delayed diagnosis led to death, surviving family members can pursue a claim for funeral costs, lost wages, lost companionship, and bills incurred by the deceased before death.
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we can help you determine if the facts of your case should give rise to a Philadelphia cancer misdiagnosis claim.
How Can A Philadelphia Delayed Diagnosis Lawyer Help You?
Delayed diagnosis cases are complicated because a doctor can argue that no other medical professional would have caught the signs, or that you would have suffered the same fate even with a timely diagnosis.
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we can help you gather the necessary evidence to build a strong Philadelphia failure to diagnose claim. We’ll work with you to:
- Obtain a Certificate of Merit required for Pennsylvania malpractice claims
- Find experts to testify on your behalf to show that a competent doctor would have properly diagnosed you and to demonstrate how the delay made your situation worse
- Negotiate with malpractice insurers for the doctor and hospital, clinic, or healthcare facility that was responsible for your loss, so you can maximize your chance of a settlement
- Go to court on your behalf when needed if no settlement is reached.
Our firm has recovered millions in medical malpractice claims, including in cases of delayed diagnosis, and we will be here to fight for you from day one.
Contact Our Delayed Diagnosis Attorney in Philadelphia Now
Don’t try to handle a complex claim on your own, reach out to a Philadelphia delayed diagnosis lawyer for help today. Your consultation is free, and we won’t charge legal fees unless we recover compensation, so give us a call now to learn more.