Were You A Victim Of A Doctor’s Failure To Diagnose?
Medical malpractice can occur in hospitals or during treatment by an individual doctor or practitioner at a clinic. Depending on the setting, a medical facility may be liable for an employee or independent contractor.
At The Johnson Law Firm, our attorneys hold medical professionals accountable when they cause injury, rather than healing, for their patients. Of all the categories that fall under medical malpractice, a physician failing to diagnose, treat and monitor a patient was the most common in Iowa in 2021, according to a report by the Iowa Insurance Division.
Is Failure To Diagnose Medical Malpractice?
A medical malpractice case arises when a health care provider breaches a duty of care and causes injury to the patient. Failure to diagnose a medical condition is considered a breach of that duty and can lead to a valid medical malpractice claim.
At The Johnson Law Firm, our attorneys will thoroughly review your case to help you determine if you have a valid claim. In a medical malpractice claim for failure to diagnose, you can recover compensation for your suffering in the form of payments for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and any other associated costs.
Understanding Who To File A Claim Against In Iowa
In medical malpractice cases, depending on your circumstances, you can file a claim against the hospital or against the individual doctor or practitioner. In some cases, you can file a claim against both. We will consider multiple factors in determining who is at fault for your suffering, including the agreement between the doctor and the hospital, how the hospital controls the physician’s work and hours, and the hospital’s hiring policies.
Falling Short On Background Checks
Less than adequate vetting puts patients at risk. A physician may often have a disciplinary record or a history of medical malpractice payouts due to a pattern of misdiagnoses. Simply put, hospitals with policies in place must enforce them. In far too many cases, that is the exception, not the rule.
Failing to disclose the employment status of a physician, combined with poor hiring and retention policies, represents a potential path to acts of malpractice in their facility.
Misdiagnosis Issues May Arise In Emergency Situations
In many situations, particularly in ERs, patients rushed in for treatment have little say in the type of medical treatment they receive. They lack the ability to sign admission forms prior to treatment from a physician with a history of errors and omissions.
Regardless of how long statutes of limitations are in place, time is of the essence in pursuing a medical malpractice claim involving physicians making severe and potentially deadly mistakes. Victims and their family members deserve a sense of justice after a significant violation of trust forever changed their lives due to oversights by their physicians.
Our Attorneys Know How To Build A Strong Case For Malpractice
At the law firm of Johnson, Mulholland, Cochrane, Cochrane, Yung & Engler, P.L.C., our lawyers are highly experienced in the litigation of medical malpractice claims. These claims are very complex, so not just any law firm can take them on. Our attorneys understand how to prove a physician or hospital was at fault. Our firm has been an established legal resource for over 70 years, and we have an extensive network of professionals to support our cases.
Contact Us For A Free Consultation
Even the odds you face. Contact The Johnson Law Firm – aka Johnson, Mulholland, Cochrane, Cochrane, Yung & Engler, P.L.C. – at 515-639-3124 or send us an email. From our offices in Fort Dodge and Gowrie, we serve clients throughout north-central and northwest Iowa.