Misdiagnosis & Late Diagnosis Claims

A late diagnosis claim is when you seek compensation for being diagnosed with an illness too late. If there was no viable reason as to why you were not diagnosed earlier, it can be considered negligence. 

Being diagnosed with an illness later can prove to be quite harmful. Some illnesses and diseases can develop very quickly, to the point where a matter of weeks could make a monumental difference.

Not only could a late diagnosis change the treatment that you will eventually receive, but it also could lead to an unnecessary period of suffering. 

If you have endured a late diagnosis, then you may receive compensation as a result of a successful claim.

A medical misdiagnosis claim is when you have been wrongfully diagnosed with an illness or health condition and want to seek compensation. 

A misdiagnosis can have major, negative, implications on a patient. The person involved may not end up going down the right treatment path and could experience issues down the line. 

This form of negligence could see the illness worsen and in extreme cases even result in fatality. 

It is the responsibility of the medical professional to accurately diagnose you. If they are unable to do this, then you have the right to make a claim for compensation.

In cases where misdiagnosis and late diagnosis have occurred, there can be variables in regards to severity. Here are some of the more common claims that you might see:

If you go to your GP and talk him through the symptoms that you are experiencing, it is their responsibility to act in the right manner. They need to be able to assess what could be causing these issues, as well as trying to find related problems. 

If they are unable to act upon your symptoms, then it could allow the illness to develop. It is important to diagnose illnesses as quickly as possible for the best chance of recovery. 

When your symptoms indicate that you need instant medical attention or need to begin your recovery immediately, then the responsible healthcare staff must source the correct help. If they do not, this is considered medical negligence.

There may be instances where you are left waiting for an appointment for a long period of time. If this is occurring when the healthcare setting is aware you may have a serious illness, then this can lead to a late diagnosis. 

Being stuck on a waiting list due to negligence is only going to worsen your condition.

A doctor may make the decision to give you certain tests regarding your situation. However, if they are conducting the wrong tests, this could lead to a delayed diagnosis. 

It is important for healthcare professionals to focus on conducting the tests with the best chance of answers.

When you are diagnosed with the wrong illness or condition, this is considered a misdiagnosis. When this happens to a patient, they can end up receiving improper care and it badly impacts their recovery. 

Some common claims in regards to misdiagnosis include:

Making sure you get an accurate cancer diagnosis is extremely important. Cancer can be often difficult to treat with even the right methods. 

If you are diagnosed with the wrong form of cancer, then you may undergo treatments that don’t effectively target the right area. 

It is also possible that you are diagnosed with an illness that is not cancer. If this is the case, your cancer will be neglected and will likely worsen. 

Issues with a person’s heart could be caused by a multitude of things. However, getting the correct diagnosis is vital. 

If you are given a misdiagnosis in regards to your heart, it could lead to further complications in the future. Misdiagnosis could mean heart disease or potential heart attacks could not be dealt with. 

Such medical and hospital negligence could be fatal.

The different types of diabetes are treated very differently. This means you need to get an accurate diagnosis in regards to your diabetes. 

A diabetes misdiagnosis could be very harmful as you could end up going through with the wrong treatment. 

If you receive a misdiagnosis following a head injury, it could lead to severe health complications in the future. 

Failure to correctly identify a head injury could lead to brain damage. It could also permanently change the quality of a patient’s life.

When you make a claim for medical misdiagnosis or late diagnosis, you are seeking compensation. 

Compensation can depend on a lot of different variables. 

You can be compensated for both general and specific damages. The two differ in the following ways: 

General damages 

General damages are when you are making your claim based on the overall situation caused by negligence. 

General damages include:

Specific damages 

Specific damages are when you are claiming for a set amount of money you wish to be compensated for. 

Specific damages include:

Keeping receipts, invoices and other medical records can be very beneficial when claiming for the damages that you have endured. 

This compensation can help you to get justice following misdiagnosis and late diagnosis situations.

Any medical professional who was involved in the misdiagnosis or late diagnosis can be held responsible for this negligence. 

Examples of potential guilty HSE professionals include:

Anyone who has taken some part in your diagnosis has the potential to be the reason for your misdiagnosis or late diagnosis. It often takes only one mistake to lead to an entirely incorrect diagnosis. 

No matter how small the negligence may be, you have the right to claim compensation for your misfortune.

Hospital negligence is when patients are not properly cared for in a medical environment. If medical care is below standard and mistakes are made by the hospital staff, this is considered negligent. 

Hospital negligence can differ in terms of severity. From delays to death, this negligence can cause an abundance of problems. 

When you experience hospital or medical negligence, you have the right to make a claim for compensation. Get in contact with a solicitor and they can help you get the justice you deserve. 

Hospital negligence can result in a number of different outcomes. However, two examples of how it can affect the patient in question is misdiagnosis and late diagnosis. 

Medical negligence claims can be delicate and complex, which is why victims of malpractice often choose to contact a specialist solicitor for help with their case. 

It is worth remembering that only 3% of medical negligence cases are settled in court, so having someone on your side with knowledge and experience of legal negotiations around substandard healthcare can be useful. 

To give yourself the best chance of a successful claim for compensation, try following these steps:

If you have been the victim of misdiagnosis or late diagnosis, be sure to make a claim today. 

The quicker you begin the process, the sooner you will get justice. 

You can get in contact with Valerie Kearins solicitor by visiting their website at vkearinssolicitor.ie. Here, you can submit a callback request by leaving your name, number, email and a quick message. 

You can phone in at 071 91 49799. 

You can also email at valerie@vkearinssolicitor.ie. 

When you get in contact, you will receive an email or call back as soon as possible. Take the first step today to get the compensation you deserve.