Table of Contents
Table of Contents
There are many aspects of life in which repairing a problem starts by identifying its roots, and this is certainly true in the practice of medicine. Without an accurate, timely diagnosis, the patient is not receiving the care he or she needs for a medical condition. On the other hand, misdiagnosis could also mean that you get invasive treatment that you do not need and might be harmful.
When Florida health care providers make errors with diagnosis, state medical malpractice laws allow patients to take legal action. Our team at Freidin Brown, P.A. will assist with your legal remedies, as these cases are a core practice area at our firm. Please contact us to schedule a no-cost case review with a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis lawyer. Some background is also useful.
Examples of Diagnosis Errors
The basic definition of misdiagnosis is the health care provider’s failure to comply with applicable medical standards through the diagnosis process. There are three scenarios in which diagnostic mistakes frequently occur:
- Delays in identifying a medical condition, which can be excruciating for a patient experiencing pain or discomfort
- Failure to diagnose that enables an ailment to expand or grow worse
- Diagnosing the patient with the wrong condition, leading health care providers to apply treatment strategies that are unnecessary and potentially harsh
How the Legal Process Works
When bringing a medical malpractice claim for misdiagnosis, you will initially be dealing with an insurance company. Our St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorneys will handle the claims process, and we will attempt to settle for a fair amount of compensation. However, insurers will often deny claims or make a lowball counteroffer because they are trying to protect their financial interests.
If the insurance company is not agreeable to settlement, Freidin Brown, P.A. will file a lawsuit in court. We are ready to tackle all litigation tasks, including:
- Completing all prefiling requirements with assistance from medical experts
- Drafting the complaint
- Attending court hearings
- Filing and defending motions
- Handling discovery
- Taking depositions
- Representing you at trial by presenting evidence, testimony, and arguments to support your position
Hold Medical Professionals Accountable for Misdiagnosis – Reach Out for Expert Legal Advice!
Compensation in Misdiagnosis Claims
Monetary damages in a diagnosis error case are based upon your losses, which are the various ways your injuries affect your life. Some are ascertainable and can be evaluated by dollar value, while others are personal and subjective. You may qualify to recover a range of compensation, such as:
- Medical costs linked to the failure to diagnose your ailment
- Lost income, if you were unable to work because of misdiagnosis
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
Get Legal Help from a St. Petersburg Misdiagnosis Lawyer
Compensation will go a long way toward covering your losses in a med mal claim, but you will need legal help to ensure you receive a fair amount. For more information about your rights and remedies, please contact Freidin Brown, P.A. to set up a free case evaluation. After reviewing your unique situation, a St. Petersburg misdiagnosis lawyer can explain specifics and tell you what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions About Misdiagnosis
Our firm can answer FAQs about misdiagnosis cases in St. Petersburg, including:
Can misdiagnosis claims in St. Petersburg involve outpatient clinics and not just hospitals?
Yes. Many misdiagnosis cases originate in primary care offices, urgent care centers, or specialty clinics rather than hospitals. In St. Petersburg, patients often move between outpatient providers and facilities like Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, which creates gaps in diagnostic responsibility that must be examined carefully.
Does a misdiagnosis case in St. Petersburg require proof of what the correct diagnosis should have been?
Yes. A viable claim must show not only that the diagnosis was wrong or delayed, but that a competent provider should have identified the correct condition under the circumstances. This usually requires expert review of symptoms, test results, and decision-making at each stage of care.
What happens if different providers reached different diagnoses during my care?
Conflicting diagnoses do not automatically defeat a claim. Instead, they raise questions about coordination, communication, and whether critical information was shared. A St. Petersburg misdiagnosis attorney reviews the full treatment timeline to determine where the breakdown occurred.
Do I have a claim in St. Petersburg if my condition was correctly diagnosed, but too late to make a difference?
Delayed diagnosis can still be malpractice when earlier identification would have changed treatment options or outcomes. In St. Petersburg cases, this often arises when imaging, biopsies, or referrals were postponed despite persistent symptoms. A St. Petersburg misdiagnosis lawyer at Freidin Brown, P.A. evaluates whether time lost directly limited viable care.