Delayed diagnoses and treatments can have catastrophic consequences when you have a severe injury or illness. What you might not know is that a delayed diagnosis may be grounds for a medical malpractice claim in Arizona. A Buckeye, AZ, medical malpractice attorney can review your case and explain your legal options.
Dangers of Delayed Diagnoses
A delayed diagnosis often leads to dire outcomes for sick or injured patients, including:
- Worsening of illness: Many injuries or illnesses grow more severe when left untreated.
- Need for more aggressive care: Patients frequently require stronger medication, riskier or more involved surgeries, or longer hospital stays once their condition has advanced due to a delayed diagnosis.
- Increased recovery time: A late start to treatment often leads to slower healing and longer rehabilitation.
- Permanent health consequences: Some treatment delays can cause irreversible damage, such as loss of mobility, organ failure, or reduced quality of life.
- Higher medical costs: More involved or aggressive treatments and longer care periods increase the financial burden for patients and their families.
- Greater risk of death: For patients with severe conditions like cancer, heart disease, or infections, a late diagnosis can significantly raise the chance of fatal outcomes.
When Does a Delayed Diagnosis Become Malpractice?
A delayed diagnosis becomes malpractice when a doctor fails to meet the applicable standard of care for your situation. To win a malpractice claim, you must show how your doctor or another healthcare provider didn’t act as another provider with similar training and experience would have under the same circumstances. If your doctor ignored your symptoms, failed to order tests, or misread your lab results, and another doctor would have recognized the problem earlier, your doctor’s actions may qualify as malpractice.
You must also demonstrate how your doctor’s delay caused you direct harm. For example, if your illness worsened, treatments became less effective, or you suffered serious complications because of the delay, you may have grounds for a claim. If you believe a delayed diagnosis caused you harm, contact a lawyer to review the details of your case.
How Do You Prove Your Doctor Committed Malpractice?
Winning a malpractice claim based on a delayed diagnosis requires strong evidence. Common types of evidence in these cases include:
- Medical records that show your symptoms, test results, and the treatment you received.
- Expert testimony from another doctor who can explain how your provider did not meet the proper standard of care.
- Test results or scans your doctor ignored, misread, or failed to order in time.
- A clear timeline showing when you first sought care, what actions your doctor took, and how long the delay lasted.
- Documentation of how the delay harmed you, such as records of advanced illness, longer treatment, or permanent complications.
- Bills, insurance statements, and other records that prove the financial impact of your delayed diagnosis.
- Personal notes, messages, or communication with your doctor that help show what you told them and how they responded.
Deadline to File an Arizona Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
In Arizona, the usual deadline to file a medical malpractice lawsuit is two years from when you sustained your injury. You might have additional time to file a lawsuit if your injury wasn’t immediately obvious, but don’t count on it. Talking to a lawyer right away is the best step you can take to protect your rights.
How Gill Law Firm Can Help
At Gill Law Firm, we’ve seen the devastating consequences a delayed diagnosis can have. We’ll handle all the work in your medical malpractice claim, from investigating your medical records and consulting with qualified experts to building a timeline that shows where your care went wrong. Our team will gather testimony, collect your financial records, and collect other evidence to demonstrate the harm you suffered due to your doctor’s delay. Finally, we’ll manage communication with insurance companies and opposing counsel so you can focus on your health. We aren’t afraid to take your case to court.
We don’t charge any fees unless we secure compensation for you. Call now or complete our contact form for a free case review.