A failure to diagnose health problems can have serious consequences for patients. Whether a failure to diagnose a medical condition has caused a delay in treatment and unnecessary pain to be suffered, or if it has caused serious health problems or even led to a fatality, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation in Ireland.
A ‘failure to diagnose’ claim can only be made when the failure to diagnose has caused a patient’s health to deteriorate, has resulted in an injury being sustained, or has otherwise caused a patient to be harmed. If the delay in diagnosis has not caused any health problems, or if a condition could not have been treated by early medical treatment, a failure to diagnose claim will not be successful.
If it can be proven that a competent doctor should have been able to correctly diagnose a condition, administer treatment and prevent a patient from coming to harm, it should be possible to make a successful claim for compensation for the failure to diagnose a medical condition.
Failure to Diagnose Health Problems and Claims for Compensation
When you visit a doctor for a diagnosis of a health problem, a doctor should check your symptoms, complete a physical examination and take many factors into consideration before arriving at a likely diagnosis. Many illnesses have similar symptoms, and a doctor should consider all options before arriving at the most likely cause of your health problems.
A doctor may not be expected to be able to diagnose a medical condition immediately; however if symptoms persist or if further symptoms appear at a later stage, he should request further tests or send you to a specialist for a second opinion.
Based on the symptoms and his examination, a competent doctor should be able to diagnose the condition with the help of specialists or the range of medical tests available to him. When there is has been a failure to diagnose an illness that should have been identified in a reasonable time frame with an appropriate follow up, it is medical negligence and it can be the basis of a compensation claim for the failure to diagnose a condition in an acceptable time frame.
Claim for Failure to Diagnose Infection
A failure to diagnose infection can be highly serious, especially if a patient has a weakened immune system or has recently undergone a surgical procedure. Doctors should be particularly attentive to the signs and symptoms of an infection, to ensure that antibiotics can be administered before an infection progresses. When bacteria are allowed to proliferate, treatment becomes more difficult and higher doses of antibiotics are required. Such high does can cause liver and kidney problems and in some cases may result in organ failure. When it can be proven ‘on the balance of probabilities’ that a competent doctor would have diagnosed infection, a claim for ‘failure to diagnose infection’ compensation can be made in Ireland.
Compensation for Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack
A failure to diagnose heart attack can be one of the most serious cases of medical negligence, yet it is also one of the most common reasons for making a claim for medical negligence compensation in Ireland. When a patient visits a doctor in time for action to be taken to prevent a heart attack, only to be discharged without being provided with potentially lifesaving treatment, this can be a clear case of medical negligence. If you have visited a doctor with symptoms of heart problems, there was a failure to diagnose heart attack symptoms and you later suffered a cardiac infarction, you should be eligible to claim compensation for the failure to diagnose heart attack symptoms.
Settlement for Failure to Diagnose Stroke
A settlement for failure to diagnose stroke can be vital for stroke victims in order to receive the care and medical attention they will need for the rest of their lives. A stroke is one of the most serious medical conditions, and can leave a patient with severe organ damage, paralysis and impaired brain function. Doctors should be trained to spot the symptoms of a stroke as, when caught in the early stages, the severity of a stroke can be greatly reduced and may even be able to be prevented with medication. A settlement for failure to diagnose stroke is often awarded in Ireland when a misdiagnosis of stroke has caused a patient to suffer an injury. In order for a settlement for failure to diagnose stroke to be reached, the services of a medical negligence solicitor will be required.
Professional Legal Advice on a Failure to Diagnose a Medical Condition
If you believe that a failure to diagnose an illness has caused you to come to harm, you should call our legal claims helpline for advice.
You will be given up to date and impartial advice on making a ‘failure to diagnose’ claim for compensation, and we will advise you not only if you are eligible to claim, but also about the chances of making a successful compensation claim. We will tell you exactly what you need to do next to claim compensation for any injury sustained by a failure to diagnose a medical condition.
Call our medical negligence claims helpline today or request a call back from one of our experienced medical negligence solicitors at the time of your choosing by completing the contact form below.