Infection Misdiagnosis from Medical Malpractice

When an Infection Misdiagnosis Harms You, Call a Medical Malpractice Lawyer for Help

Infections, a ubiquitous part of human existence, span the spectrum from mild and unnoticeable to severe, necessitating antibiotics or other treatments. When treatment delays occur, they can aggravate an infection and potentially trigger devastating consequences like sepsis or death.

Specialized training equips doctors and other healthcare providers with the proficiency to identify and manage various infections. However, there can be unfortunate circumstances when these medical professionals fail to recognize the signs of an infection. This oversight can lead to misdiagnoses or incorrect infection classifications.

Such lapses in judgment can result in treatment delays, thereby placing individuals in jeopardy of severe illness, sepsis, or wrongful death. Should an infection misdiagnosis occur that inflicts injury, we categorically consider it medical malpractice.

In case a delayed infection diagnosis has inflicted harm upon you or a loved one, you might be entitled to compensation for injuries, lost wages, and medical bills. Discover how you can recoup compensation with the assistance of our experienced infection misdiagnosis lawyers, right here at Medical Malpractice Universe.

What is an Infection?

There are many different infections, with all types causing an invasion of something foreign in the body. The common types of infections include the following:

Bacterial

Bacterial infections are prevalent and can give rise to numerous diseases, including strep throat, urinary tract infections, meningitis, pneumonia, and other related conditions. Various factors can contribute to bacterial infections, such as scrapes, surgical incisions, and occasional transmission through the mouth and nose. Treatment for bacterial infections often involves the use of antibiotics.

Viral

Viruses invade normal healthy cells and then use the cells they have invaded to multiply and cause illness. Examples of viral infections include influenza, the common cold, chickenpox, norovirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) amongst many others.

Fungal

Common fungal infections include yeast infections, athlete’s foot, ringworm, thrush, aspergillosis, fungal meningitis, histoplasmosis, and cryptococcus infection.

Parasitic

Parasites live in or on an organism and receive nutrients through the host. Common parasites include lice, malaria, toxoplasmosis, scabies, leishmaniasis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, tapeworm, or roundworm infection.

How Are Infections Treated?

Infections are treated in different ways depending on the type of infection present. Some infections may resolve independently, while others require antibiotics, antifungals, or other medications. While oral drugs can manage many infections, some aggressive conditions demand intravenous therapy in the hospital, particularly if diagnosis doesn’t occur promptly.

What are the Signs of an Infection?

Certain signs and symptoms can indicate that a person is suffering from an infection. Signs and symptoms of an infection include the following:

• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Lymph node swelling

Consequences of Infection Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosed infection can escalate, spread disease, or even progress to life-threatening conditions like sepsis. In the most dire scenarios, such negligence may result in amputations, brain damage, cerebral palsy, internal organ damage, or even death. Regrettably, healthcare providers often could avoid these tragic instances of medical malpractice.

Understanding Infection Misdiagnosis

Regrettably, cases of infection misdiagnosis occur with an alarming frequency. More distressing is the fact that people often suffer harm from an infection misdiagnosis that could have been entirely preventable. This situation arises when a healthcare provider fails to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, deviating from the standard of care they owe to their patients.

Common causes of an infection misdiagnosis include the following:

• Failure to accurately gather a patient’s health history
• Inability to properly assess a patient
• Lack of thoroughness in conducting necessary tests
• Misinterpretation of test results
• Involvement of inexperienced physicians and other healthcare providers
• Lack of proper supervision for newly onboarded healthcare providers

What are Signs of an Infection Misdiagnosis Malpractice?

Regrettably, prompt diagnosis of infections does not always occur. There are instances where individuals seek treatment for a condition, only to receive a diagnosis for a different ailment, causing a delay in the necessary treatment. As previously mentioned, such misdiagnoses can have grave outcomes.

There are specific signs and symptoms that may hint at a potential misdiagnosis of an infection. These indicators of a possible infection misdiagnosis include the following:

• Being diagnosed with an illness only to later be diagnosed with an infection that should have already been treated
• Septic response
• Permanent disability from a condition that is not normally as devastating
• Transferring to another facility that has better care
• Being discharged prematurely and having to go back to the hospital in a few hours or days
• Need for IV medication
• Need for emergency surgery
• Likelihood of permanent injury
• Being told to not get a second opinion
• Healthcare providers offering differing opinions
• Doctors or other providers not coming to speak with you/ignoring you
• Wrongful death, and
• Other suspicious signs that a healthcare provider is not being forthright with you.

Did You Suffer Personal Injuries From a Misdiagnosed Infection? We Can Help

If a misdiagnosed infection leads to severe personal injuries that could have been preventable, you might be a victim of medical malpractice and entitled to compensation. To determine if you have a valid case against a healthcare provider, consider consulting with a skilled lawyer specializing in misdiagnosed infections, like one of ours located here at Medical Malpractice Universe.