Patients with serious medical issues typically trust their doctors. Unfortunately, physicians can make mistakes that have devastating consequences for their patients. Misdiagnosis occurs when a physician reaches the wrong diagnostic conclusion for a patient.
For example, they might write off a dry cough as the product of a minor respiratory infection when the patient actually has a much more serious medical condition, such as lung cancer or silicosis caused by workplace exposure to silica dust. In cases where patients question a doctor’s diagnosis, seeking a second opinion promptly can help to protect them.
How a second opinion can potentially help patients
When doctors make diagnostic mistakes, their errors can profoundly impact the prognosis of the affected patient. A second opinion obtained from another licensed medical professional can protect a patient in two key ways.
First and foremost, an accurate diagnosis gives the patient an opportunity to begin appropriate treatment for the true underlying cause of their symptoms. Additionally, the second opinion of another medical professional can help establish that the diagnostic error was, in fact, medical malpractice.
If another licensed physician with the same information could reach an accurate diagnosis, then the diagnostic failure of the initial physician might represent professional negligence. Especially if they declined to order appropriate testing or ignored a patient’s self-reported symptoms, their choices while providing patient care may not have met current best practices.
The sooner a patient who suspects a misdiagnosis seeks a second opinion, the better their chances of recovering, both physically and financially. An accurate diagnosis can help them get the treatment they need to control their symptoms and address their underlying cause. The record of the accurate diagnosis received as a second opinion can also strengthen their claim if they pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor who misdiagnosed them.
Taking Action: Charting and Legal Steps for Misdiagnosis
Especially when a physician seems to discount legitimate concerns because they don’t believe a patient’s self-reported symptoms, the second opinion is important for their recovery. A patient frustrated by a physician’s unwillingness to take them seriously can ask their doctor to include their self-reported symptoms in their chart.
They can also ask the doctor to acknowledge in official records that they declined requests for a referral to an outside specialist or for specific testing. The patient can request a copy of their medical records, which can help them as they seek a second opinion and also as they consult with an attorney about the potential malpractice they experienced.
A lawyer familiar with the unique challenges of medical malpractice litigation can help frustrated patients validate that malpractice occurred and take appropriate steps to hold a physician accountable. Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit after a misdiagnosis can lead to compensation for increased treatment costs and lost wages.