When something is wrong with your health, you trust your medical providers to recognize the problem and act quickly. A correct diagnosis is often the first step toward getting better. When a condition is missed, delayed, or mistaken for something else, you can lose critical time you do not have.
Not every diagnostic error is malpractice. However, some misdiagnoses are the result of a provider failing to follow basic standards of care. When that happens, and you are seriously harmed, you may have a medical malpractice claim.
Understanding the different types of medical misdiagnoses can help you recognize what went wrong and decide whether to talk with a Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyer about your options.
What Is Medical Misdiagnosis?
A misdiagnosis happens when a healthcare provider does not correctly identify a medical condition in a reasonable amount of time. That can include:
- Naming the wrong condition
- Failing to diagnose any condition at all
- Recognizing the condition too late for treatment to work as it should
In Pennsylvania, medical malpractice occurs when a provider does not meet the accepted standard of care. In the diagnostic setting, that usually means the provider did not:
- Take an appropriate history
- Perform a focused physical exam
- Order proper tests or imaging
- Interpret test results reasonably
- Follow up on abnormal findings
If a doctor does all of those things and still reaches an incorrect conclusion in a difficult case, there may not be malpractice. But if they skip steps, ignore symptoms, or brush off obvious red flags, that can be negligence.
Types of Misdiagnoses That May Lead to a Malpractice Claim
Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and failure to diagnose can affect almost any condition. Some patterns appear over and over in medical malpractice cases, especially when the disease is time sensitive or the symptoms are brushed aside.
Cancer Misdiagnosis and Delayed Cancer Diagnosis
Cancer is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions. Early diagnosis is often critical. When providers delay or miss a cancer diagnosis, patients may lose the chance for less invasive treatment and better survival rates.
Examples include:
- Breast cancer mislabeled as a benign lump and never followed up
- Colon cancer missed when a provider ignores rectal bleeding or does not order a colonoscopy
- Lung cancer mistaken for a lingering infection in a smoker or former smoker
- Skin cancers treated as simple rashes or moles without biopsy
In many cancer malpractice cases, the question is not simply whether the doctor got it wrong once. It is whether they failed to order basic tests, failed to follow up abnormal imaging or lab results, or failed to act when your symptoms did not improve.
Missed Heart Attacks and Cardiac Events
Heart attacks are frequently misdiagnosed, especially in women and younger patients. Instead of recognizing cardiac symptoms, providers may send patients home with a diagnosis of:
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Acid reflux or indigestion
- Muscle strain or “atypical chest pain”
When a patient reports chest discomfort, shortness of breath, jaw or arm pain, unusual fatigue, or nausea, providers should consider a cardiac cause and use appropriate tools such as EKGs and blood tests.
Negligent misdiagnosis may be involved when:
- No cardiac testing is performed despite concerning symptoms
- Abnormal results are missed or not communicated
- A patient is discharged from an emergency room without being stabilized or properly evaluated
These errors can lead to preventable heart damage, heart failure, or death.
Missed Strokes and Brain Bleeds
Strokes and other brain injuries are highly time sensitive. Prompt recognition and treatment can limit damage and improve recovery. When symptoms are dismissed, the consequences can be permanent.
Stroke symptoms that are sometimes overlooked or misattributed include:
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side
- Difficulty speaking or understanding others
- Facial drooping
- Sudden severe headache
- Problems with balance, coordination, or vision
In some cases, these signs are mistaken for migraines, intoxication, vertigo, or emotional issues. Negligence may be present when providers:
- Fail to perform a basic neurological exam
- Do not order emergency imaging such as a CT scan or MRI
- Delay transfer to a hospital that can treat strokes
- Ignore worsening symptoms over time
Failing to diagnose a stroke quickly can leave patients with paralysis, speech problems, cognitive changes, or other lifelong disabilities.
Failure to Diagnose Infections and Sepsis
Infections can progress quickly if they are not recognized and treated. Sepsis is a life-threatening response to infection that can lead to organ failure and death.
Examples of negligent misdiagnosis involving infection and sepsis include:
- High fevers, rapid heart rate, confusion, or low blood pressure dismissed as a “viral bug” without appropriate testing
- Worsening symptoms after surgery or childbirth that are not evaluated for infection
- Urinary tract infections in elderly patients ignored until they cause sepsis
- Blood tests and cultures that are ordered but never reviewed or acted upon
In the emergency room setting, misdiagnosis of sepsis is especially dangerous. When providers fail to take vital signs seriously, omit basic lab work, or delay antibiotics and fluids, patients can deteriorate quickly.
Misdiagnosed Appendicitis and Abdominal Emergencies
Appendicitis, bowel obstructions, and other abdominal emergencies are often misdiagnosed as less serious stomach problems. This is particularly true when patients are young, female, or do not describe “classic” symptoms.
Possible negligent misdiagnosis scenarios include:
- Persistent abdominal pain treated as indigestion or a minor stomach bug without a full exam
- Failure to consider appendicitis when pain shifts or worsens
- Ignoring elevated white blood cell counts or other lab abnormalities
- Sending a patient home from the ER without clear return instructions despite concerning symptoms
When appendicitis or another abdominal emergency is missed, the appendix can rupture or the bowel can become compromised, leading to infection, sepsis, additional surgeries, and long hospital stays.
Pediatric Misdiagnosis
Children cannot always explain what they feel. Pediatric providers must listen carefully to parents, watch for subtle signs, and take concerning symptoms seriously.
Common pediatric misdiagnoses involved in malpractice claims include:
- Meningitis mistaken for a minor viral illness
- Pneumonia missed when a child’s breathing problems are attributed only to asthma
- Appendicitis dismissed as constipation or stomach flu
- Serious infections treated as simple ear infections or colds
In many of these cases, the issue is not that the doctor did not know the disease existed. Instead, they may not have ordered appropriate testing, did not reevaluate when symptoms worsened, or sent a child home without adequate instructions. When those choices fall below the pediatric standard of care and cause permanent harm, they can be malpractice.
Emergency Room Misdiagnosis
Emergency departments are busy places, but the standard of care still applies. ER misdiagnosis is a frequent source of malpractice claims because providers often see patients at their most vulnerable moments.
Emergency misdiagnosis may involve:
- Failure to triage correctly, leaving a seriously ill patient in the waiting room
- Misreading EKGs, X rays, or lab results
- Not ordering critical imaging for head injuries, abdominal pain, or stroke symptoms
- Discharging patients with instructions that do not match the seriousness of their condition
A rushed or incomplete examination is not an excuse for negligence. When emergency room misdiagnosis causes a new injury or worsens an existing one, you may have a claim.
Failure to Follow Up on Abnormal Tests
Sometimes the initial diagnosis is reasonable, but test results later show something more serious. When providers do not review those results, fail to contact patients, or do not act on abnormal findings, dangerous delays can follow.
Examples include:
- A suspicious mass on a CT scan that is never mentioned to the patient
- Abnormal blood work suggesting cancer or severe infection that is not repeated or investigated
- Biopsy results that are misplaced or overlooked
These failures are often system errors involving hospitals, labs, and physician offices. The law still requires reasonable systems and follow up to protect patients.
When Is a Misdiagnosis Medical Malpractice in Pennsylvania?
Not every wrong diagnosis allows you to sue. To have a viable malpractice claim in Pennsylvania based on misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, you generally must show:
- The provider owed you a duty of care
- They did not meet the accepted standard of care in evaluating and diagnosing your condition
- That failure caused your injury or worsened your outcome
- You suffered measurable damages
In Pennsylvania, most medical malpractice cases also require a certificate of merit. That is a statement from an appropriate licensed medical professional who has reviewed your case and believes there is a reasonable chance the care fell outside acceptable standards and caused harm.
Because misdiagnosis cases are complex and often involve technical medical questions, it is important to talk with a lawyer who regularly handles failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis, and misdiagnosis claims.
What To Do If You Suspect a Misdiagnosis in Pennsylvania
If you think you or a loved one has been harmed by a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, consider taking these steps:
Seek medical attention right away
If you feel your condition is getting worse, go back to the hospital or see another provider as soon as possible. Your health always comes first. Tell the new provider your full history, including prior diagnoses and test results.
Get a second opinion
A second opinion from a qualified physician can confirm the correct diagnosis and sometimes reveal where things went wrong. It can also help you get on the right treatment path.
Gather your records
Request copies of your medical records, imaging, lab results, discharge summaries, and medication lists. Keep any written instructions, bills, and notes you made about symptoms or conversations with providers.
Write down a timeline
It is easy to lose track of dates and details as time passes. Create a simple timeline of when symptoms began, when you sought care, what you were told, what tests were done, and when you finally received the correct diagnosis.
Talk with a medical malpractice lawyer
An experienced Lancaster medical malpractice attorney can review your history, consult with medical experts, and explain whether you may have a claim. They can also make sure important deadlines, like Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations, are not missed.
Do You Think a Misdiagnosis Caused Your Injury? Call Atlee Hall Today
Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and failure to diagnose can change the course of your life. You should not have to carry the burden alone if a provider’s negligence kept you from getting the care you needed when it mattered most.
Even if you are not sure whether what happened to you qualifies as malpractice, it is worth asking questions. Atlee Hall’s medical malpractice attorneys understand how complex diagnostic cases can be. Our team will hear your story, investigate what happened, and connect you with respected medical experts who can evaluate your care.
If you or a loved one suffered harm because of a medical misdiagnosis in Pennsylvania, we are here to help you pursue answers and accountability.
Call (717) 393-9596 today or complete our contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.
