Lupus Misdiagnosis
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy cells within the body. Although over one million Americans suffer from lupus, the condition is not always properly diagnosed.
A lupus misdiagnosis can have devastating effects for the patient. Individuals in Salt Lake City, UT, and surrounding areas who suspect that their lupus was misdiagnosed as a result of neglect or subpar medical care can work with the medical malpractice attorneys at Younker Hyde Macfarlane to seek financial compensation for resulting damages.
How Common Is a Lupus Misdiagnosis?
Lupus is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose. One problem is that many lupus symptoms are also associated with other, more common illnesses and diseases. Another issue is that some individuals go extended periods of time without experiencing any symptoms at all.
According to a study conducted by the Lupus Foundation of America, 46.5 percent of the over 3,000 adult lupus patients who were questioned reported that they were initially misdiagnosed with something other than lupus. Perhaps even more shocking, over half of the study participants (54.1 percent) said that, at some point, they were either told that nothing was wrong with them or their symptoms were psychological.
Consequences of Lupus Misdiagnosis
Unfortunately, a lupus misdiagnosis, or a delayed diagnosis, can have terrible consequences for individuals who suffer from this disease. The longer that lupus goes untreated, the more damage it can cause to vital organs, including the kidneys, heart, lung, and brains. The long-term consequences of undiagnosed or untreated lupus include:
- Severe organ damage
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
- Organ failure
- Death
How Do I Prove Medical Malpractice?
Lupus may be difficult to diagnose, but that doesn’t automatically let doctors off the hook when a misdiagnosis leads to personal injury or other losses. If a misdiagnosis was the result of neglect or medical care that fell below the accepted standard of care, medical professionals should be held accountable for resulting damages.
Patients who suspect that their lupus misdiagnosis was the result of medical malpractice should work with our Salt Lake City attorneys. Our legal team will gather evidence to demonstrate the four key elements of a medical malpractice case:
- There was an established doctor/patient relationship
- The treating doctor/medical professional breached their duty by failing to deliver the accepted standard of care
- The breach of duty was a direct cause of the lupus misdiagnosis
- The lupus misdiagnosis lead to damages for the patient
Medical Malpractice Damages
The extent of damages caused by a lupus misdiagnosis will depend on how long the disease went misdiagnosed/untreated, and how far the disease was able to advance in that time. We look at each case individually, but potential damages in a medical malpractice case include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages and a loss of wage earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial costs (in the event of death)
- Loss of income source, loss of benefits, and loss of consortium (in the event of death)
Contact Us Online
If you have suffered physical and financial damages as the result of a lupus misdiagnosis, you may be due financial compensation for your losses. To discuss your situation with the medical malpractice attorneys at Younker Hyde Macfarlane, send us a message at your earliest convenience or call (801) 335-7025.
