Failure to Diagnose

Published on: January 24, 2019

Malpractice Related to Crohn’s Disease in Maryland

Obtaining the correct diagnosis is vital to getting the right treatment for your health condition. If you have suffered due to a missed diagnosis or delayed diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, you may be entitled to compensation for any harm that you suffered. At Arfaa Law Group, our diligent Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys are devoted to providing you with the legal assistance you need in order to move on with your life.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that involves ongoing, chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The condition affects the entire digestive tract and can be both painful and debilitating. Currently, there is no known cure for Crohn’s disease but treatment is administered in an effort to alleviate symptoms. Treatment can also potentially prevent a person from having to undergo surgery.

A few years ago, a Baltimore jury awarded a patient millions of dollars when doctors misdiagnosed an ulcer, prompting more than a dozen unnecessary surgeries that led to the patient’s Crohn’s disease flaring up. According to the complaint, physicians were negligent in failing to diagnose the patient’s symptoms as an exacerbation of Crohn’s without considering any other conditions that could have been at play.

Published on: January 10, 2019

Misdiagnosis of Fibromyalgia is a Common Medical Error in Maryland and Throughout the US

By Arfaa Law Group

People who suffer from chronic pain face very real day-to-day challenges that are often dismissed by medical professionals simply because the symptoms cannot be seen. If you have suffered a diagnosis error related to fibromyalgia, you need a compassionate and understanding Baltimore medical malpractice attorney on your side. At Arfaa Law Group, we understand the impact that chronic pain can have on every aspect of your life and how negligent medical professionals can make that pain worse.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that triggers pain all over the body, sleep issues, tiredness and often emotional and mental distress. Sadly, it is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed medical conditions. According to one study by the National Institute of Health, misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia for another musculoskeletal disorder occurred in approximately 13.3 percent of the patients who were included in the study population. Another report indicates that as many as 2/3 of people are told they have fibromyalgia when they are actually suffering from another medical issue.

Individuals who have fibromyalgia are more sensitive to pain, fatigue and muscle stiffness than people who do not have the condition. In some cases, symptoms start after a physical trauma or significant event (i.e., psychological stress, surgery, infection, etc.) while, in other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no specific triggering event. Many people with this disease are unable to work and lead normal lives due to the pain. While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are several treatment options such as pain management and medications that can improve a patient’s quality of life.

Published on: September 10, 2018

Failure to Diagnose Brain Infections Can Lead to Serious Injury in Maryland and Elsewhere

By Arfaa Law Group

Diagnostic errors can lead to severe, even deadly. injuries. If a medical professional’s late or missed diagnosis harmed you, you need to reach a seasoned Baltimore misdiagnosis attorney as soon as possible. At Arfaa Law Group, we understand how difficult it can be to deal with medical malpractice, which is why we will handle your case with the utmost compassion. To maximize your chances of recovery, we personally prepare every case for trial.

An Ohio woman was recently awarded millions of dollars after suffering severe injuries due to malpractice. M.D., a retired speech pathologist visited Firelands Hospital in Sandusky, Ohio complaining that she was not feeling well. After undergoing several scans and tests, she was given steroids to treat a brain tumor. The only problem was that she did not have a brain tumor. She had an infection growing in her brain, which deteriorated after doctors gave her steroids. Specifically, the steroids led to the infection getting worse and spreading to other parts of the brain, leaving her nearly incapacitated.

The family sued two neurologists, alleging that if the negligence had not occurred, M.D. would have been a healthy woman who would have walked out of the hospital herself in 2013. Now, she can no longer use her legs and the cost of her care is extremely high. The jury agreed with the plaintiff and awarded over $7 million in damages.

Published on: September 4, 2018

Johns Hopkins Evades Maryland Woman’s Medical Malpractice Claim Over Misdiagnosis of Rare Disease

By Arfaa Law Group

A misdiagnosis can have severe and long-term consequences for a patient. If you have been hurt because a medical professional misdiagnosed your condition, you may be able to seek compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our diligent Baltimore misdiagnosis attorneys will evaluate the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.

A Maryland appellate panel has affirmed the mid-trial dismissal of a lawsuit accusing a Johns Hopkins Hospital doctor of misdiagnosing a woman with lung cancer instead of the rare disease she firmly believed she had contracted, and settling a quarrel over when the three-year statute of limitations began to run.

The facts of the case are as follows. M.M., an Arizona resident, contracted Coccidioidomycosis (commonly known as “Cocci” or “Valley Fever”) – a disease caused by a fungus germane to the semi arid areas of the southwestern states. In 2008, M.M. believed she experienced symptoms consistent with a Cocci infection. That same year, she and her husband relocated to Maryland where she sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her doctor there stated that he believed her symptoms were more likely due to lung cancer rather than Cocci. In fact, the doctor said there was a 90 percent chance that M.M. had lung cancer and stated the only way to treat it was to conduct a partial lung lobotomy. In 2009, a portion of M.M.’s lung was removed. It was later confirmed that M.M., in fact, did have a Cocci infection.

Published on: August 14, 2018

Radiologists Among Most Sued Medical Professionals, Study Says

By Arfaa Law Group

A correct and timely diagnosis often depends on the accurate and timely interpretation of radiology reports. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. If you have been injured due to a radiology error, we may be able to help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can investigate every aspect of your case and help you understand your legal rights and options accordingly.Radiologists are involved in 15 percent of diagnosis-related medical malpractice lawsuits, second only to those involving general medicine medical professionals, according to a new report produced by Boston-based medical professional liability insurer Coverys. The report analyzed more than 10,000 claims, identifying a total of 595 radiology-related malpractice claims from 2013 to 2017. The data show that 80 percent of all diagnosis-related claims stem from the misinterpretation of clinical tests. In addition, 80 percent of missed diagnosis lawsuits in radiology involve either permanent injury or death to the patient.

Radiologists play a critical role in correctly and accurately diagnosing patients. Among those radiology claims alleging diagnostic failure, cancer misdiagnoses were the most common, according to the report, with breast, lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers being the most prevalent.

Published on: May 23, 2018

Study Finds Diagnostic Errors are Leading Cause of Medical Malpractice Claims

By Arfaa Law Group

No one wants to be a victim of medical malpractice. While most doctors and medical professionals try their best to make a proper diagnosis, some make errors or miss things that can lead to serious harm. At Arfaa Law Group, we represent victims of medical malpractice, including cases of failures to diagnose or misdiagnoses. With years of experience, our Baltimore misdiagnosis attorneys understand how to protect your rights at every step of the way.

Errors relating to diagnosis were the largest source of medical malpractice claims between 2013 and 2017, according to a recent report published by malpractice service providers Corveys. The study reviewed 10,618 medical malpractice claims over the four-year time span. It found that 33 percent of malpractice claims were related to patient diagnosis, and half of those claims involved poor clinical decisions. Diagnosis-related malpractice claims beat out all other reasons for malpractice claims. While other causes of medical malpractice claims have decreased over the years, diagnosis-related claims have not.

There were many reasons for these types of errors. Approximately 33 percent of diagnosis-related claims took place due to the doctors failing to assess the patient properly, whereas 52 percent of the claims involved mistakes relating to lab testing. Physicians selected the wrong test, inadequately performed the test, or misinterpreted the results. Many times, doctors missed information that was contained in long files. In other cases, a misdiagnosis took place because doctors had too much work and too little time.

Published on: April 2, 2018

Maryland Ranked One of the Worst States for Doctors

By Arfaa Law Group

Medical professionals have an obligation to be diligent when diagnosing and recommending treatment for patients. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. If you have suffered harm due to a health care provider’s misdiagnosis of your condition, the seasoned Maryland misdiagnosis attorneys at Arfaa Law Group can help. We understand how to navigate these cases and help seek the compensation our clients deserve.

A study recently released by WalletHub dubbed Maryland one of the worst states in the country for doctors. In fact, Maryland is the 7th worst state for doctors, ranking 44th out of the 51 states.

The study compared states on a number of metrics, including annual salaries, starting salaries, hospitals per capita, cost of malpractice insurance, hospital quality competition, and how much was awarded in malpractice per capita. In general, Maryland tends to have a higher cost of living, lower wages, and higher costs of malpractice insurance when compared to most other states. Other states that are in the top 10 worst states for doctors in 2018 include Illinois, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.

Published on: November 7, 2017

Deceased Patient’s Family Wins Maryland Medical Malpractice Case

By Arfaa Law Group

Cancer is the dreaded ‘c’ word that no patient wants to hear. If caught early enough, patients can often beat cancer and resume their normal lives. If it is not diagnosed in a timely manner, however, the consequences can be devastating. If you or someone close to you was harmed due to a physician’s failure to diagnose cancer, it is imperative to reach out to a skilled Baltimore misdiagnosis attorney who can assess the merits of your case.

A Baltimore jury recently awarded a hefty damages sum to the family of a man who died of colon cancer after his primary care physician failed to follow up on an unexplained case of anemia, which the family claims could have led to an earlier cancer diagnosis. The 55-year-old patient died from colon cancer 15 months after it was finally diagnosed.

The case at hand would be considered a ‘failure to diagnose’ case. A failure to diagnose is when a doctor misses the connection between a patient’s symptoms and their medical condition. The result is that no diagnosis is made, and the patient takes no course of treatment. A physician’s failure to diagnose can lead to further injuries and even death to a patient. According to a report released by the Institute of Medicine, most Americans will get a late or wrong diagnosis at least once in their lives.

Published on: February 13, 2017

Failure to Diagnose Meningitis in Maryland

By Arfaa Law Group

If you or someone you know has been harmed due to a medical professional’s failure to diagnose meningitis, our seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can help. At Arfaa Law Group, we are committed to holding doctors and hospitals accountable in cases involving a failure to diagnose meningitis. You can trust that we will explore the facts of your case and help you seek the compensation you deserve.

The Mayo Clinic defines meningitis as an inflammation of the membranes surrounding an individual’s brain and spinal cord. Swelling from the condition typically triggers symptoms such as headache, fever, seizures, sleepiness, light sensitivity, vomiting or nausea, or a stiff neck. It is important to note that there are many types of meningitis that a person can contract: bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, spinal meningitis, parasitic meningitis, and non-infectious meningitis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 3,000 people in the United States contract meningitis every year. The CDC also reports that more than one out of every 10 cases of spinal meningitis caused by bacteria are fatal, representing about 400-500 deaths annually.