Medical tests are designed to detect health issues early and support timely, appropriate treatment. When a healthcare provider orders diagnostic testing but overlooks or misinterprets the results, the outcome can be serious and sometimes life-altering.
Ignored or mishandled test results may give rise to medical malpractice claims, particularly when the delay or oversight leads to a worsening condition or missed opportunity for effective treatment. Whether a case exists depends on factors such as the provider’s duty of care, the nature of the mistake, and the harm caused as a result.
Why Test Results Matter in Medical Care
Diagnostic tests play a critical role in modern medicine, and they frequently save lives. Doctors rely on lab work, imaging, biopsies, and screenings to diagnose conditions and plan treatment. When a physician orders a test, they also accept responsibility for reviewing the results and taking prompt action when those results reveal medical issues. Failure at any point in this process can allow a condition to worsen into something potentially life-threatening.
What Counts as Ignored or Missed Test Results?
Ignoring test results doesn’t necessarily mean a doctor never even looked at them. It can also mean they failed to do their due diligence in effectively analyzing the results or taking the proper action based on their findings.
- Failing to review test results after ordering them
- Overlooking abnormal findings buried in a report
- Misinterpreting lab values or imaging results
- Failing to notify the patient of abnormal results
- Failing to order follow-up testing or treatment
- Delaying action despite clear warning signs
Any one of these errors can have life-altering or even life-threatening consequences. When that’s the case, the negligent healthcare provider may bear responsibility in a medical malpractice claim.
Conditions Commonly Missed Due to Diagnostic Errors
Overlooked test results often involve serious and time-sensitive medical conditions. Some of the most common of those conditions include:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Infections
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Stroke warning signs
- Neurological disorders
Delayed diagnosis often leads to more aggressive treatment and reduced survival rates. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can investigate your diagnosis to determine whether overlooked test results caused you unnecessary harm.
When Do Ignored Test Results Become Medical Malpractice?
Not every diagnostic error constitutes a valid malpractice claim. All successful claims require proof of the following four elements:
- A Doctor-Patient Relationship – The healthcare provider must owe you a “duty of care” or a legal responsibility to protect your safety. Ordering or reviewing tests usually establishes a doctor-patient relationship, and therefore a duty of care.
- A Breach of the Standard of Care – Once the duty of care has been established, you must then show that the healthcare provider failed to act as a reasonably competent provider would under similar circumstances. Ignoring abnormal test results often violates accepted medical standards and constitutes a breach of the standard of care.
- Causation – Failing to meet the standard of care is not enough to constitute a valid medical malpractice claim. You must also show how the mishandled test results caused you harm through proof of a worse prognosis or the need for invasive treatment.
- Damages – To hold the negligent provider accountable, you must provide measurable proof of the damage they caused. This proof typically comes in the form of medical records, medical bills, proof of lost income, treatment and procedure records, and medical expert testimony.
Contact an Arizona Medical Malpractice Attorney Today
If you’ve suffered harm at the hands of a negligent healthcare provider, the team at Gill Law Firm can help. We can investigate your claim to identify all liable parties and then fight to hold them accountable and recover maximum compensation on your behalf. Contact us today for your free consultation.