Human Error Elements to Malpractice: Misdiagnosis

While the medical field demands nothing less than utmost accuracy and precision from its practitioners, human error is something that can never be completely taken out of the picture. Unfortunately, medical misdiagnosis could also be one of the most dangerous mistakes that a medical practitioner can commit.

Since a doctor or other types of health care practitioners are not required by law to make a correct diagnosis 100 percent of the time, misdiagnosis becomes medical malpractice when there is negligence involved or substandard care was rendered. Examples of such medical negligence include diagnosing a malignant tumor as benign, failure to test or screen a patient for a disease that he or she is at high risk for, and misinterpreting lab tests.

When an individual decides to pursue a medical malpractice suit due to misdiagnosis, his best allies would be his attorney and an established medical malpractice expert witness. Expert witnesses are usually called in to help judges establish the facts of a case, or when the evidence is related to a matter which falls outside the knowledge and experience of the jury.

Of course, when choosing medical malpractice expert witnesses, lawyers or court officials have to consider credentials and qualifications. In the end, whatever type of malpractice case is being heard, the services of a medical malpractice expert still remain invaluable.