A missed diagnosis may lead to a medical malpractice claim when a healthcare provider fails to use the level of care expected under the circumstances and that failure causes the patient additional harm.
The fact that a condition was overlooked does not, by itself, establish negligence. Diagnostic decisions frequently involve symptoms that could indicate several conditions.
A doctor may reach a reasonable conclusion based on the information available at the time, even if a different diagnosis is made later.
(more…)