The definition of a delayed treatment is a failure to provide timely care or assessment of a patient’s condition.
It is only fair for someone to expect top-quality care when they trust their health to a doctor or hospital. But as you may know, medical malpractice incidents can occur from mistakes and acts of negligence. One common example of this is delayed treatment. Here is some important information about what delayed treatment is and how it can impact your health.
Definition of Delayed Treatment
The definition of a delayed treatment is a failure to provide timely care or assessment of a patient’s condition. That means that when your doctor evaluates your health or looks at your symptoms, they might miss something or underestimate the severity of your condition which can lead to them not providing the right amount of treatment soon enough. This could take shape as a misdiagnosis or in a hospital be the result of an ignored monitor warning. Delayed treatment is a serious issue because it can lead to a worsening of your condition where it could have been prevented, which causes you undue harm or can even endanger your life. Even if you eventually receive the proper treatment, you should question if the negligence of medical professionals may have caused further injury to your health.
Causes of Delayed Treatment
Often, delayed treatment starts with an inaccurate diagnosis. This could either be a misdiagnosis, when your doctor misinterprets your symptoms as a different condition than what it truly is, or a missed diagnosis where your doctor overlooks certain symptoms entirely. Either way, without the correct diagnosis your doctor will not give you proper treatment. Another cause of delayed treatment is when a doctor fails to follow up with a patient’s condition. The doctor might have failed to assess the severity of your symptoms and sent you home too soon or without the proper dosage of your prescription. Unless the doctor arranges to see you again, you both might not realize when something in your treatment has gone wrong.
How to Proceed
It can be difficult to tell whether you were a victim of medical malpractice because, unlike a doctor, you might not know what to look out for. However, you can still trust your instincts in some cases, and if you have noticed that your symptoms aren’t improving then it could be a warning sign. If you have any doubt about the treatment you received then the best thing to do is seek a second, or even third, opinion from another doctor. Then you will be ready to bring that information to a medical malpractice attorney.
Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
The Snyder Law Group, LLC, proudly represents clients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. Our experienced Baltimore attorneys understand the frustration that comes with an insurance company, medical professional, or other party that refuses to accept liability for negligent or reckless behavior. You can take heart in knowing there are talented and experienced lawyers ready to work for you. We are experienced in handling personal injury claims of medical malpractice or injury resulting from serious car and truck accidents. Please visit our website, www.410thefirm.com, for more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.