Medical Misdiagnosis

Rhode Island Attorney Representing People Injured by Medical Errors

When people visit a doctor with symptoms of an illness, they anticipate that they will receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Although advances in technology and medicine provide doctors with greater resources for diagnosing and treating patients than ever before, doctors frequently misdiagnose patients. A misdiagnosis can cause substantial harm and, in some cases, may result in a patient’s death. If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a misdiagnosis, you have a right to seek compensation from the physician who failed to provide you with adequate care. Attorney David Tapalian is an experienced Rhode Island misdiagnosis lawyer who understands what it takes to set forth a winning medical malpractice case, and he will aggressively pursue the full extent of compensation that the law permits you to recover.

Harm Caused by a Misdiagnosis

There are multiple ways in which a misdiagnosis can occur. For example, a misdiagnosis can happen when a doctor does not obtain a full medical history or fails to grant appropriate consideration to a patient’s symptoms. In some cases, a doctor may not order proper tests or may misread the results of tests that were administered, resulting in a misdiagnosis. A doctor’s negligence can result in the doctor failing to provide an accurate diagnosis in a reasonable time, or in an incorrect diagnosis. A doctor’s failure to accurately diagnose a patient can result in heart attacks, strokes, brain damage, and the progression of diseases such as cancer. In many cases, a misdiagnosis can lead to an untimely death.

Proving Liability Arising out of a Misdiagnosis

To recover damages from a doctor, a misdiagnosis attorney in Rhode Island must prove that you suffered harm as a result of the misdiagnosis. First, your attorney must establish that you were a patient of the physician who allegedly caused your harm. A physician will not be held liable unless a doctor-patient relationship existed at the time of the alleged misdiagnosis. Your attorney must then show that the physician negligently failed to provide you with reasonably competent and skillful care by failing to make a correct diagnosis in a timely manner. Lastly, the misdiagnosis must have caused your harm. In other words, a misdiagnosis alone is an insufficient basis for imposing liability on a doctor. Instead, the misdiagnosis must have adversely affected your health.

In the majority of medical malpractice cases, it is necessary to retain an expert to testify as to the manner in which the defendant physician breached the standard of care. To do so, the expert will evaluate evidence of the manner in which your doctor evaluated your symptoms and explain how a reasonable doctor in the same community would have assessed your symptoms under similar circumstances. A skilled Rhode Island misdiagnosis attorney can guide you through the process of proving your physician’s liability for your harm.

Damages Recoverable Following a Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosis can result in a need for extensive medical treatment, may impair a person’s ability to work, and may shorten his or her life expectancy. If you were harmed by your doctor’s misdiagnosis, you may be able to recover the cost of medical expenses related to the misdiagnosis. You may also be able to recover the cost of any treatment that you may need in the future. Additionally, if the harm caused by your misdiagnosis caused a temporary or permanent impairment in your ability to earn a living, you may be awarded damages for lost earnings. Lastly, you may be able to recover damages for any pain and suffering caused by your misdiagnosis.

Consult an Experienced Rhode Island Attorney

People trust doctors to provide appropriate treatment, which includes an accurate diagnosis. If you suffered harm because of a misdiagnosis, you should consult a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your case and the damages that you may be able to recover. Attorney David Tapalian will work diligently to formulate effective arguments in favor of your recovery of the full amount of compensation that you are owed. Mr. Tapalian’s primary office is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and he is also available via appointment at his secondary office in Seekonk, Massachusetts. You can complete our online form or call 401-552-5000 to set up a confidential and free meeting with a misdiagnosis lawyer in Rhode Island.