If you or a loved one was injured or suffered a worsened condition due to a wrongful diagnosis by a medical professional, it is important to understand the many benefits of a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorney when pursuing compensation. Unlike other injury lawsuits, there are unique legal components of malpractice claims that require both expert testimony from a care professional, as well as a nuanced understanding of the law.
Instead of trying to navigate this process alone, a legal professional could help. By working with a knowledgeable lawyer, you could rest assured that your claim is being handled with care and attention to detail.
When to Contact a St. Petersburg Attorney
By the time an individual is seeking legal representation, little communication has generally occurred between the individual and their doctor. Typically, when a potential client has contacted a law firm to discuss whether or not they have a potential misdiagnosis case, it is not uncommon for communication to have broken down between the healthcare provider and patient—other than for when the treatment has occurred and maybe a follow-up visit or two.
That is one of the reasons why it is a good idea for an alleged victim of malpractice from misdiagnosis to quickly contact a proactive lawyer. One of the many benefits of contacting a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorney is how they could quickly work to obtain all of the relevant documents, information, and potentially diagnostic studies to fully investigate and evaluate the case. This is important, given that they have a very short two-year statute of limitations in most cases.
How a Legal Professional Begins a Case
One of the many benefits that a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorney could provide is to determine whether malpractice has occurred. Essentially, it must be determined if a care professional breached their standard of care which would, essentially, give rise to a valid claim. So, a legal professional often begins a case by looking into the relevant medical records and any diagnostic imaging that might have been included in the care and treatment of the injured patient.
It is important to understand that these cases require competent malpractice counsel. In Florida, the alleged malpractice victim must obtain a sworn affidavit certifying that the medical provider in question did, indeed, commit malpractice. This sworn affidavit can only be signed by a specialist working in the same field as the defendant. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to find a specialist to that fits this description in the local community. However, a knowledgeable lawyer with a network of objective medical consultants could help to identify a medical professional who could study the specifics of a case for an affidavit.
What Makes Misdiagnosis Cases Unique
Misdiagnosis cases are unique from other medical malpractice claims. One of the primary ways this difference manifests itself is the frequency with which there is patient confusion. Frequently, victims of misdiagnosis seek the benefits of a St. Petersburg attorney to better understand what makes these cases unique.
For example, sometimes, a patient is told that they have a certain condition that requires certain treatment, like surgery or a procedure. However, when medical professionals take a second look at the medical documentation and imaging, it is not uncommon for those objective providers to disagree with the original diagnosis and treatment. Because of this, it is often difficult for a patient to understand what their legal rights are after being given a wrongful diagnosis.
Call to Understand the Benefits of a St. Petersburg Misdiagnosis Attorney
If you suffered a worsened condition after a doctor misread your symptoms and wrongfully made a diagnosis, you have legal options and might wish to better understand the benefits of a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorney. One of the most common mistakes people make is to wait too long to seek the consultation of a competent lawyer for their claim.
Because of the two-year statute of limitations for most cases, time is of the essence. To begin working on a claim today, call a legal professional to schedule a consultation.
