Residents of the state of Pennsylvania rely upon their physicians to diagnose and treat their medical issues. Most patients have the expectation that based on the symptoms displayed and tests available, a doctor will correctly identify the issue. As we all know however, this is not always how things work. All too frequently despite seeking medical attention in timely manner, patients are diagnosed with condition long past the point where they can be properly treated. In some cases these situations could lead to medical malpractice claims being filed.

While a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose can occur in a variety of situations, a study conducted by BMJ Open recently identified the two situations in which this happens most frequently. It determined that primary care doctors were most likely to miss cancer and heart attacks. While there are most likely multiple reasons for this, the fact that the symptoms for each of these conditions are often difficult to pinpoint probably contributes to the misdiagnoses occurring.

When a patient is injured as a result of a delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, it may be too late for treatment to have much of an effect. This could leave a patient and his or her family feeling helpless about their situation. For many in this situation, filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against those responsible for the diagnosis issues is often a good way to proceed. In addition to potentially providing financial compensation to those individuals, it also can provide a sense of closure to those involved.

Source: CBS News, “Most common medical malpractice claims for missed cancer, heart attacks,” Ryan Jaslow,