Medical professionals are considered to be some of the smartest people in society, and perhaps rightly so: they undergo a great deal of schooling, are well-read, and remain caught up on any new information that is relevant in the medical field. While doctors are certainly smart, they are also very human – and very capable of making human errors. Whether it be an honest mistake or a case of intentional malpractice, the unfortunate truth remains that many medical professionals are not so professional after all. Research indicates that one in every 20 adults in the United States who seek medical care in a medical institution of some kind will leave with a mistaken diagnosis. New information indicates that over 12 million individuals living in the United States are adversely affected by these mistakes on a yearly basis, and that half of that number represents patients who suffer significant harm due to malpractice.

Real Harm Is Done

The alarming statistics listed above point to the very real threat of medical misdiagnosis in today’s society. One unnerving true story concerning medical misdiagnosis is known as the case of Kim Tutt. Kim Tutt’s experience with medical misdiagnosis began with a routine visit to the dentist, where she had her jaw x-rayed. The dentist identified an unusually raised lump on her jaw, located on the left side of her face. At their promptings she scheduled more examinations. The verdict was chilling: she was given three to six months to live. According to her doctors, she could get a small extension on her remaining time by allowing them to take out the left half of her jaw from chin to ear. She agreed to have the procedure because she was anxious to spend the extra three months afforded with her two young boys. The lump was taken out and a chunk of her fibula was placed there in its stead. She left disfigured but supposedly able to live for three more precious months with her children. After further testing, Tutt was summoned into a medical professional’s office and told that she was now completely free of cancer. Unfortunately, she had never had it in the first place. The misdiagnosis caused her a lifetime of disfiguration.

Why Misdiagnosis Occurs

Misdiagnosis is a real threat to anyone who trustingly enters a medical facility. Doctors often work incredibly long shifts and sleep deprivation frequently causes irrational thinking and mistakes. The sheer number of people who need medical attention is overwhelming, and doctors often rush patients through to see the next person in need of help. All of these factors contribute to the reality of misdiagnosis.

What to Do If You are Misdiagnosed

If you think you have been misdiagnosed, it is important to act quickly so that the misdiagnosis does not result in permanent damage, such as in the case of Kim Tutt, or even life threatening damage. Death caused by misdiagnosis is far more common than you may think. 200,000 to 500,000 patients are unnecessarily harmed each year in hospitals alone.

After doing everything possible to ensure that the adverse effects of your misdiagnosis do not go untreated, it is time to contact a professional attorney who can help you in your battle for compensation. As the innocent party, you shouldn’t have to live your life in a lesser-quality state simply due to the mistakes of a medical professional who fell below the medical standard of care. Contact an attorney today to learn how you can be compensated for the pain, confusion, and injury caused by misdiagnosis.

Read more about Misdiagnosis here:

https://www.bochettoandlentz.com/practice-areas/medical-malpractice-lawyers-in-philadelphia/