A diagnosis error related to pneumonia can have serious, even deadly consequences for a patient. If a doctor misdiagnosed pneumonia and caused you or a loved one to suffer harm, you might be entitled to compensation for your injury. Claims involving misdiagnosis can be very complex, which is why having a seasoned Rochester medical malpractice attorney on your side can make all the difference in your case.
Pneumonia is Commonly Misdiagnosed
Pneumonia is a medical condition that is typically caused by an infection that results in inflammation in the lungs. It is the second most misdiagnosed condition and can lead to readmission after a previous hospitalization. Pneumonia is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms can be very similar to other conditions such as a common cold, influenza or even an upper respiratory infection. For this reason, physicians often fail to order proper tests. While chest x-rays are the most common method of diagnosis, they can sometimes fail to sufficiently show the presence of pneumonia.
Liability in Pneumonia Malpractice Cases
If a patient is misdiagnosed with pneumonia, the doctor may be overlooking the diagnosis and treatment for the actual condition, which could be much more serious than pneumonia. In other cases, the patient may not be diagnosed with pneumonia when he or she actually has the condition, ultimately leading to worsened infection due to the absence of treatment.