Being a physician requires exercising a substantial amount of caution when treating patients. A simple misdiagnosis can lead to a patient being prescribed medication that is harmful to his or her health, which can even be life-threatening in some cases. If you are the victim of a physician who negligently diagnosed you with the wrong medical condition, you might need assistance from a personal injury attorney. If the medication and other types of treatment you have undergone for the misdiagnosis has caused your health to become worse, you might have a solid malpractice lawsuit. The content below provides a brief overview of the steps that an attorney can take to ensure that you have a successful outcome in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Take a Look at Your Medical Records
When consulting with a personal injury attorney about your situation, he or she will place a large amount of focus on your overall medical history. The reason why is because your past health problems will play a role in your defense against the physician. For instance, if you had little to no health problems before the misdiagnosis was made, it is a good sign that the misdiagnosis and treatment has caused your current problems. When you visit the attorney, he or she might ask you to sign a form that will allow all clinics that you have received treatment at to release your medical records. He or she will use the records as evidence against the other party.
Learn About the Misdiagnosed Condition
The condition that you were misdiagnosed with will also play a large role in the outcome of the medical malpractice lawsuit. An attorney will determine how serious the condition is as well as whether or not it causes any symptoms that are similar to the condition that you actually have. Making a comparison between the two conditions will allow the attorney to determine the extent of negligence that was exercised by the physician. He or she will also need the name of all of the medications you were prescribed to treat the misdiagnosed condition. The drugs will then be researched to determine how they are affecting your body in a negative way.
Figure Out Your Compensation Amount
Depending on how severe your health became after being misdiagnosed negligently treated, you may be entitled to money that can cover years of medical expenses. For instance, if you will need medial care on a long-term basis due to the affect that the drugs had on your body, the physician can be held liable for the expenses. There are several other things that your attorney will discuss with you that can be compensated in the lawsuit as well.
For more information on personal injury attorney services, contact attorneys like Hoffman, Larin & Agnetti.