Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis Mistakes
When Misdiagnosis or Delay Becomes Malpractice
When Does Misdiagnosis Count as Malpractice?
Doctors don’t have to be perfect — but they are expected to meet a professional standard of care. If a competent doctor would have made the correct diagnosis in your situation, and yours did not because they ignored warning signs, skipped necessary tests, or dismissed your symptoms, that could be medical malpractice. Delayed diagnosis can be just as harmful: if a condition is caught too late for effective treatment — for example, cancer progressing from Stage 1 to Stage 3 — the consequences can be life-changing.
Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions
Certain illnesses are missed or mistaken far too often, including:
01
Cancer
Tumors overlooked on scans or misread as harmless growths.
02
Heart Attack or Stroke
Symptoms dismissed as anxiety, indigestion, or migraines.
03
Infections
Life-threatening illnesses like sepsis or meningitis initially missed.
05
Autoimmune Disorders
Conditions mistaken for stress or minor inflammation.
04
Fractures or Orthopedic Injuries
Breaks or tears not seen on initial X-rays.
Harm Caused by Diagnostic Errors
The real danger of a missed or delayed diagnosis is lost time. The right treatment is delayed, the wrong treatment may be given, and conditions can worsen dramatically. A treatable illness might become untreatable. A preventable heart failure might occur because the cause wasn’t found in time. On top of the physical harm, many patients suffer deep emotional distress from conflicting information and the breakdown of trust in their medical team.
How We Prove a Misdiagnosis Case
Our team works with respected medical experts in the same specialty as the provider who made the error. They review your records and determine what should have been done differently — whether that was ordering the right imaging, acting on abnormal lab results, or following diagnostic guidelines. We gather all relevant evidence, from test results to communication logs, to pinpoint where the diagnostic process failed and prove it fell below the accepted medical standard.
Our Experience with Misdiagnosis Cases
We’ve represented clients whose cancer diagnoses were delayed until the disease had spread, whose infections went untreated until they became critical, and whose stroke symptoms were dismissed until it was too late to prevent permanent damage. In each case, we fought to hold the negligent provider accountable and secure compensation that addressed both immediate and long-term needs.
Don’t Wait
Get a Second Opinion and Legal Help
If you suspect a misdiagnosis, your health comes first — get a second opinion right away to make sure you’re receiving the care you need. Then, contact our misdiagnosis attorneys serving Maryland and Washington, D.C. to review what happened. We’ll work with independent medical experts and give you an honest assessment of whether you have a malpractice case. If you do, we’ll fight to recover compensation for the harm you’ve suffered — including additional medical bills, lost time, and the pain and setbacks caused by the error.