Medical Malpractice Lawyers—
Recognizing Signs of Medical Malpractice

Washington, D.C., Maryland, & Virginia

We all know that medical treatment does not guarantee a positive outcome, especially in a serious illness such as cancer. An undesirable outcome, and even death, does not necessarily mean that your doctor or other health care providers made a mistake. However, you may experience short term suffering or permanent health problems, due to an error which your doctor does not disclose to you. He or she may even try to pass it off as a normal part of the process. Here are some signs that you may be the victim of medical malpractice.

Your condition does not improve with treatment. If you are undergoing treatment and you are not improving, you should get a second opinion. You may have been misdiagnosed, or your doctor may not be using the appropriate course of treatment for your illness.

You contract an infection after surgery. Nosocomial illness is an illness caused by your hospital stay. Many are superbugs – infections which are resistant to antibiotics. Most can be prevented by basic sanitation policies, but hospitals fail to implement them. Infections can also be caused by dirty surgical instruments or an object, such as a sponge or an instrument, left inside of your body. You may require additional surgery due to the infection, and you may not be told if something was left inside.

Your symptoms and your diagnosis don’t seem to match up. Never ignore your gut feeling and assume that your doctor knows best, just because he is supposed to be the expert. If your symptoms don’t match your diagnosis, do some research and get a second opinion before undergoing what may be the wrong treatment.

Your diagnosis was based on a lab test alone, or you tested positive and your doctor did not retest. Lab errors are common. If you don’t feel sick or have any symptoms and your doctor says you have an illness, be wary. False positives are far more common than false negatives in lab tests. If you test positive for anything, it is standard procedure to retest. Never undergo dangerous treatments without a retest and a second opinion.

You have an unexpected reaction to a medication. This could mean that you were prescribed the wrong medication, wrong dose, or wrong combination of medications. It could also mean that the prescription was right, but a mistake was made at the pharmacy or by the person administering your medication.

You did not undergo all of the tests that normally accompany your diagnosis. If you believe that you have missed a test that should have been administered, ask your doctor about it.

Your first diagnosis says that you are in the advanced stage of anything, including cancer, even though you have been getting regular check ups. Delayed diagnosis is malpractice. It can reduce your chance of recovery, require you to undergo more aggressive, painful, and dangerous treatment, or it can mean that a treatable illness becomes fatal.

If you believe you or a loved one has been injured due to medical malpractice or medical negligence in Maryland, Washington, D.C. or Virginia, please email or call our experienced medical malpractice lawyers to review your case. We are committed to obtaining justice for you - the victim.

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