Due to the commonly experienced deep vein thrombosis symptoms, these symptoms tend to be confused with other ailments.
However, an experienced doctor can tell the difference. That is why people rely on hospitals or doctors to diagnose their illness to get the proper treatment. But if such a condition is misdiagnosed, the patient may suffer from severe risks.
If you or your loved one DVT has been misdiagnosed, you may have a claim.
This article highlights what leads to misdiagnosis and filing a medical malpractice claim due to medical negligence.
What May Lead To Deep Vein Thrombosis Misdiagnosis
Deep Vein Thrombosis is a condition that causes blood to clot in the deep veins of the legs. Once there is a clot, this leads to reduced blood flow in that region. Worse is that a part of the clot can break off and travel to other parts of the body.
If DVT is not diagnosed on time, this may lead to severe body complications and sometimes death. If such injuries or death are connected with medical negligence, then the affected party may file a claim for compensation. Such cases are challenging and may require one to look for top attorneys in Wasilla Ak.
Note that not every case results in medical negligence. In some cases, the condition doesn’t have any symptoms. The most common symptom of DVT includes:
- Pain and swelling in the affected area.
- Discoloration on the affected area.
- Swollen veins.
If a doctor thinks you have DVT, they will have an ultrasound, MRI scan or any other test to determine whether you have the condition.
The severity of the conditions will mainly depend on the speed of diagnosis and the size of the clot. Mostly, DVT misdiagnosis is caused by:
- Doctor’s fault:Unfortunately, many doctors become familiar with certain condition and their symptoms. This makes them probe to give the wrong diagnosis when presented with similar symptoms but different conditions. Another doctor’s fault would be based on lack of tests and inadequate time spent with a patient.
- Patient’s fault:Some patients are embarrassed or fail to give all the details about their symptoms.
If you can prove that you suffered injuries due to medical negligence, you have a right to pursue your claim.
Medical Negligence Involved in DVT
Failure for a doctor to diagnose your DVT condition may lead to complications. This will have a considerable impact on your life.
You will have a claim if you can prove that the doctor’s actions or inactions led to your medical misdiagnosis.
To file your claim, you will need to establish that a doctor was negligent enough to cause you injuries.
The treatment you received has to fall below the medical standard of care. You will need to prove that the doctor in question standard of care fell below what another doctor given the same circumstances would have done, and this resulted in your injuries.
If you don’t have any injuries, you cannot be compensated.
DVT cases require a medical expert. Such will prove the late diagnosis and how it’s linked to your injuries.
Note that misdiagnosis alone may not amount to a medical malpractice claim.
You have to prove that:
- The doctor was negligence.
- The negligence caused you injuries.
Even a competent doctor may make mistakes while using the set standard of care. But the core thing is determining what the doctor did or failed to do to arrive at a conclusion. A competent doctor should make inquiries about the symptoms, conduct tests, and if need be check the patient’s medical history.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, then the doctor should arrive at a solid conclusion. In some cases, a doctor may rely on inaccurate test results. Under such circumstances, it may be possible to file a product liability claim if it’s proven that the equipment was defective.
Getting Legal Help
There is so much to deal with when it comes to DVT misdiagnosis. It requires one to consult a medical malpractice lawyer who understands medical diagnostic errors.
A seasoned lawyer will rely on a medical expert to determine whether there is a claim. This will help determine whether the doctor owed you a duty of care.
You will have an easier time claiming your damages if:
- Your DVT conditions were not diagnosed on time which could have made it possible to take action for recovery.
- After misdiagnosis, you received the wrong medications for the clot.
- You never receive any treatment due to misdiagnosis.
For the above, you need a lawyer who has dealt with such cases. This becomes easy to obtain the best compensation for your medical malpractice claim.
Your lawyer will offer a free case review to understand your case. This helps to provide the proper medical evidence needed to provide an outline of your claim.