Birth injuries can occur for a variety of reason. Sometimes, even under the best of circumstances nothing can be done to prevent a child from being born with a birth injury. However, other times the injuries could have been prevented – or been less severe – had a proper and timely diagnosis been made.
A recently published study found that the degree of misdiagnosis and delay in diagnosis is alarming – and concluded that nearly all Americans will receive the wrong diagnosis at some point in their lives – whether as a newborn, a teen, or as adult. The effect can be devastating, with diagnostic errors contributing to 10% of patient deaths.
Common areas of misdiagnosis include the failure to diagnose cancer in a timely way, allowing for it to spread and reduce the likelihood of a full recovery.
The study's authors determined that one of the reasons behind is poor communication between the various different care givers treating a patient, as well as poor communication between a doctor and patient.
For more information, or if you believe that you or a loved one has suffered harm as the result of a misdiagnosis, please contact the dedicated Calfornia birth injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.