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Diagnostic Errors

An accurate and timely diagnosis is the foundation of effective healthcare. When a doctor fails to recognize the “red flags” of a serious condition, the window for life-saving treatment can slam shut. Diagnostic errors are among the most common forms of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania, ranging from the misdiagnosis of a stroke in a young adult to the delayed diagnosis of aggressive cancers like melanoma or colon cancer. In this category, we examine how “cognitive biases” and systemic hospital failures lead to these mistakes. Whether it is a radiologist misreading a scan or a primary care physician ignoring a patient’s persistent symptoms, the consequences of a delay are often fatal. These articles provide specific guides on the standard of care for various conditions and what legal steps to take if a late diagnosis has impacted your prognosis.

Aortic Dissection In Patients With Chest Pain And Ischemic Electrocardiograms

In the hectic environment of the emergency department, rapid diagnosis and emergent management of life-threatening conditions must occur. In the patient with acute chest pain and an EKG concerning for an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction STEMI, the diagnosis and treatment is generally straightforward. National guidelines recommend emergent reperfusion with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolytic therapy. Unfortunately, the potential for patient harm is high when acute aortic dissection causes an acute coronary syndrome and produces ischemic EKG changes.

The Importance Of Recognizing Atypical Presentations Of Acute Coronary Syndrome

Many patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) lack overt chest pain or pressure and present to the emergency room with “atypical” signs and symptoms. As a result, the emergency provider may fail to consider the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, leading to a greater risk of serious injury or patient death. This article examines atypical symptoms of ACS in an effort to reduce instances of medical negligence or malpractice.

Delayed Diagnosis of Spinal Infection

Osteomyelitis and discitis are infections of the spine. These diseases are rare, but can lead to serious and permanent neurological injuries, including severe pain, paralysis or difficulties walking. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of discitis or osteomyelitis is often delayed by health care providers, because the primary symptom of discitis and osteomyelitis is the very non-specific complaint of back pain.

Failure to Diagnose

Our attorneys are dedicated to finding answers in situations where failure to diagnose an illness or injury resulted in catastrophic injury. If you have questions about a matter of this nature we encourage you to contact our office for an evaluation.

Delayed Diagnosis of Compartment Syndrome

Thousands of people every day suffer injury to part of their leg or forearm. Broken bones, burns, and penetrating trauma are daily occurrences and common complaints in America’s emergency departments. Few patients or their families consider a fractured bone or burn will lead to amputation of a leg or part of the arm.

Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis

The misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer due to misread pap smears constitutes medical negligence. If you or a loved one is suffering from cervical cancer due to a misdiagnosis or incorrectly read pap smear, you may feel as though you have nowhere to turn – but you do. The lawyers at Lupetin & Unatin focus on cancer misdiagnosis lawsuits. We encourage you to contact our law firm to discuss your case and your options.

Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis & Medical Malpractice

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in the United States, the second most common cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer), and the main cause of death of women between the ages of 45 and 55. Every year, approximately 205,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 die from this disease. In some cases, these deaths occur as a result of a misdiagnosis of breast cancer.

What Can Go Wrong, Sometimes Does

This case of delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer as a result of mistakes made by both doctors and cytopathologists is a tragic tale of a young mother who left behind three minor children when she died. Our firm assisted this family in securing financial compensation to support the children after her death.

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