Most New Jersey doctors and hospital staff are caring, conscientious professionals who have their patients’ best interests at heart. However, like all hardworking people, they can be distracted, fatigued and stressed. In the worst case scenario, medical malpractice occurs because of negligence or careless disregard for proper standard of care.
While it’s true that every adult is responsible for his or her own well-being, when we don’t feel well and don’t know why, we must rely on the expertise of someone who can figure it out. Emergency and urgent care centers handle trauma and immediate needs. For an evaluation of illness, however, tests and understanding symptoms are the basics of making a diagnosis. Doctors review medical history, observe a patient firsthand and review test results in order to do so.
To put it mildly, problems can surface when the wrong diagnosis is made. Equally as problematic is a delay in this determination. But for many, serious consequences can be a direct result of either of these situations. For example, of particular urgency is any type of cancer. Most often successful treatment is directly related to how quickly it begins. Unfortunately, there are some occasions when a patient’s demise is related to the delay.
A sound suggestion when there is any question about the relevance of a misdiagnoses or delayed treatment is to speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney. He or she can begin an immediate evaluation of the facts, work with medical experts familiar with your type of disease or injury and plan an effective strategy to help you hold accountable all parties involved.
As noted on our page about medical malpractice, a claim must be filed in New Jersey within two years after a correct diagnosis is made. Just the same as a delay affects treatment, waiting too long to set the recovery wheels in motion can cause investigation obstacles and circumstantial changes that may affect the outcome. Protecting victims and their families by seeking compensation can add some security to their outlook for the future. It’s important to consider it in a timely way.
Source: Ginsberg & O'Connor PC, “New Jersey Delayed Diagnosis Lawyers” Sep. 11, 2014