What are Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis: New Mexico Medical Malpractice

Being sick or injured can take a toll on you and your loved ones. You may be unable to work, attend your children’s functions, or provide care for aging parents while you are recovering from an illness or injury. But if your doctor refuses to listen to your concerns or makes an error in interpreting medical tests, your suffering may be prolonged. Sometimes, these errors on the part of New Mexico doctors are egregious and considered medical malpractice. Read on to find out if you need a lawyer to handle your misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis claim.

Medical malpractice refers to medical negligence by both doctors and other licensed health care professionals. Two common ways this negligence can manifest are misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis. You may find yourself wondering, what are misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis? Do I need an attorney? Should I get a second opinion? While misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis may be related in some cases, below we’ll explain these two separate forms of New Mexico doctor negligence and how Carabin Shaw can help.

Put simply, misdiagnosis is when a doctor diagnoses you with an illness or injury that you do not have. Being diagnosed with an incorrect illness may sound harmless, but there are serious risks that come along with misdiagnosis, including:

• Taking medication that is unnecessary and possibly dangerous
• Having surgery that is unnecessary and possibly dangerous
• Delay in treatment and possible worsening of the real illness
• Physical and emotional pain

Sometimes, a misdiagnosis is a mistake that could not have reasonably been avoided. A doctor may receive test results that are wrong or were done with lab equipment that wasn’t properly working. However, if the misdiagnosis occurs because the doctor didn’t take appropriate precautions against misdiagnosing you or if the doctor’s treatment of you falls below the general standard of care, you may need a personal injury lawyer in New Mexico to file a suit on your behalf.

A delayed diagnosis is when your illness or injury is diagnosed at a later time than you could reasonably expect it to be diagnosed. A misdiagnosis can cause a delayed diagnosis, but there are other reasons for a delayed diagnosis, too. Your doctor may ignore your concerns or intimidate you into believing you’re wrong about your symptoms. A New Mexico medical malpractice suit may be appropriate if one of these situations applies to you, and you should contact a lawyer to discuss your options.

Another consideration when you’ve been misdiagnosed or had a delay in your diagnosis is the statute of limitations. In New Mexico, you have three years from the date of the malpractice to file a lawsuit unless the case involves a child under six years old. In that case, you have until the child turns nine to file a suit. In the case of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, the statute of limitations is especially important. New Mexico medical malpractice lawyers can advise you on how best to proceed in this special circumstance.

If you suspect that your doctor has diagnosed you with the wrong illness or caused a delay in your diagnosis, you shouldn’t hesitate to seek a second opinion and contact a medical malpractice attorney in New Mexico. This will go a long way to treating your illness appropriately and protecting your rights in regard to filing a medical malpractice suit. New Mexico hospital negligence attorneys are skilled in investigating misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis and a second opinion can help them advocate for you in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you live in New Mexico and believe you’ve been misdiagnosed or received a delayed diagnosis from a doctor, contact an attorney at Carabin Shaw at 915-779-2301 to discuss your options.