Medical errors have increased in numbers and severity in recent years. In fact, medical negligence has become the third-leading cause of death in the United States.
Even if errors are not fatal, they can still be costly. For example, over two decades, a failure to communicate diagnostic test results cost doctors an astonishing $70 million across all specialties.
You might have a case if you have incurred injuries or an illness because of a doctor’s failure to communicate test results. An Ohio lawyer from Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz can help you determine if you have a valid medical malpractice claim and work alongside you to gather the evidence you need to obtain the compensation you deserve.
Before determining if you have a valid medical malpractice case, you need to know that you are entitled to know your medical test results, whether positive or negative. It is illegal for a healthcare practitioner to keep your results from you.
In addition, a doctor has to tell you why they are ordering tests on your behalf alongside the side effects and dangers of the procedures you’ll encounter under their care.
According to research, it’s believed that doctors fail to communicate test results about 7% of the time, making it a fairly common problem in the healthcare industry.
Unfortunately, failing to communicate test results can result in dire consequences, including medical complications, injuries, illnesses, and death. Even if the test results are positive, patients still deserve to know as it can indicate if treatment is working or if further investigation is needed.
Doctors often fail to communicate results because they are inundated with patients and order multiple tests weekly. Even though the nature of the forgetting is not malicious, it can still warrant a medical malpractice claim. Some of the common scenarios when doctors fail to communicate test results include:
If any of these scenarios sounds like what happened to you, speaking with one of our medical malpractice lawyers is important. In medical malpractice lawsuits, time is of the essence, so speaking with an attorney can increase the likelihood of a successful case outcome.
Who do you hold accountable when you file a medical malpractice lawsuit for not receiving your test results? Typically, the negligent parties most often named in these types of cases include radiologists, pathologists, and physicians.
In addition, depending on your case circumstances, you might also have the opportunity to hold the hospital accountable if the failure to communicate test results left you with a significant injury or illness.
You deserve to receive compensation if there’s a failure to communicate test results from a medical practitioner about your test results and you suffer preventable harm. If you feel that a doctor has failed you in this arena, it’s best to contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Dyer, Garofalo, Mann, & Schultz as soon as possible.
Our qualified lawyers can help you find the best course of action. We will work with you to hold the medical practitioner or hospital accountable for the medical error that led to the development or worsening of an injury or disease.
Before establishing Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz L.P.A., Doug Mann, a top Ohio Injury Attorney served as a bodily injury claims adjuster at a major insurance firm. With over 40+ years of experience, Doug’s background has proven invaluable in securing maximum cash settlements for his clients swiftly. Since leaving the insurance industry, Doug has devoted his entire legal career to assisting injured clients during their times of greatest need.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Doug Mann who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury attorney.
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