Medical Misdiagnoses Outpace Surgical, Medication Errors for Deaths from Medical Malpractice

Southfield, MI (Law Firm Newswire) August 28, 2014 – Medical malpractice affects millions of Americans each year. Misdiagnosis is a subtle form of malpractice that, surprisingly, dominates the cases seen in U.S. courts.

“The vast majority of Americans, where they hear the term medical malpractice, assume it refers to surgical errors and medication mixups. In reality, misdiagnoses are the leading cause. They have cost over $39 billion in medical negligence payouts over the past quarter of a century,” said Daren Monroe of Litigation Funding Corporation in Michigan.

Medical misdiagnosis happens when a medical professional does not pay proper attention to, or dismisses what appear to be, common symptoms. Examples might include stomach pains, a persistent cough, an odd looking rash or unexplained headaches. In some cases, these symptoms may indicate minor issues, but in others, they exhibit as part of a much more serious disease.

In a recent West Virginia lawsuit, the family of a young boy filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against an ER doctor who said their son’s stomach pains were caused by constipation and sent him home. He died several hours later as a result of internal bleeding from a lacerated kidney, an injury sustained at a playground.

Cases of this nature are alarmingly common, with CBS revealing that over 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed every year. “Misdiagnosis leads to the wrong treatment or lack of proper treatment and may result in debilitating injuries or death,” added Monroe.

What is causing these medical errors? According to Dr. Jon LaPook, CBS News chief medical correspondent, doctors lack the appropriate time to spend with their patients due to aggressive, demanding workloads. Appointments are rushed, and neither party can discuss the patient’s symptoms properly.

If a patient becomes a victim of medical malpractice, they should contact an experienced medical negligence lawyer as soon as possible. After establishing legal counsel, victims might investigate litigation funding to help deal with medical and other important expenses while they wait for their case to go to court.

“Pre-settlement funding, also referred to as a lawsuit loan, is an emergency cash loan to a qualified plaintiff that allows them to deal with all of their bills right away once the funding has arrived,” Monroe explained. “It’s a good alternative to trying to struggle through months –- sometimes years — of waiting for a case to be heard.”

Learn more at http://www.litigationfundingcorp.com