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Kentucky Failure to Diagnose an Infection Lawyers
Legal help when your doctor fails to diagnose a serious infection in Kentucky
When you don’t feel well, you go to the doctor, trusting that they will run the right tests, ask the right questions, and give you a diagnosis that leads to the proper treatment. But what happens if they don’t? What if your doctor overlooks an infection and sends you home while your condition worsens? This is called failure to diagnose an infection, and it can have devastating consequences. The Kentucky medical malpractice attorneys at Crandall & Pera Law help victims of medical negligence fight for justice and compensation.
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Table of Contents
- What is an infection?
- Why is a delayed diagnosis of an infection so dangerous?
- How do medical professionals fail to diagnose infections?
- How can your lawyers help with my claim for a failure to diagnose an infection in Kentucky?
- How much is my medical malpractice case worth?
- How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Kentucky?
What is an infection?
The Cleveland Clinic reports:
Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by harmful organisms (pathogens) that get into your body from the outside. Pathogens that cause infectious diseases are viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and, rarely, prions. You can get infectious diseases from other people, bug bites and contaminated food, water or soil.
The flu, measles, HIV, strep throat, COVID-19 and salmonella are all examples of infectious diseases. Cancer, diabetes, congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease are all examples of noninfectious diseases.
Why is a delayed diagnosis of an infection so dangerous?
An infection can spread quickly and, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage, lead to sepsis, or even result in death. The earlier an infection is discovered and treated, the better your chances for a full recovery. Some common infections that are often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed include:
- Sepsis, a severe and body-wide response to an infection that can lead to organ failure and death if not treated quickly.
- MRSA, a staph infection that’s resistant to many antibiotics and can become life-threatening if it spreads.
- Meningitis, an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which can cause permanent damage or death if not caught in time.
- Pneumonia, a lung infection that can quickly become severe, especially in young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.
- Urinary tract infections, which can turn into a serious kidney infection if left untreated.
When a doctor fails to recognize the signs of an infection, the resulting delay in treatment can make the situation much worse. That’s where our Kentucky medical malpractice lawyers come in. We hold negligent medical professionals accountable and help you secure the compensation you deserve.
How do medical professionals fail to diagnose infections?
Medical professionals, like doctors and nurses, are trained to recognize the warning signs of infections. However, mistakes can happen – often due to negligence, lack of thorough testing, or misinterpretation of symptoms. Some common reasons infections go undiagnosed include:
- A doctor may dismiss symptoms like fever, fatigue, or pain as minor or unrelated, failing to order the necessary tests.
- Blood tests, urine tests, cultures, and imaging scans can all confirm an infection. Doctors can’t make a proper diagnosis without ordering these tests.
- Even when proper tests are conducted, the results can be misread, leading to a missed diagnosis.
- In emergency rooms, overwhelmed medical staff may rush through exams, missing critical signs of infection.
- Some patients, like those with weakened immune systems, diabetes, or recent surgeries, are at high risk for serious infections. If your doctor doesn’t take these risk factors into account, they may fail to diagnose an infection in time.
How can your lawyers help with my claim for a failure to diagnose an infection in Kentucky?
Have you or a loved one suffered due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose an infection? The Kentucky medical malpractice lawyers at Crandall & Pera Law can help in a variety of ways.
We can gather medical records, speak with experts, and analyze test results to determine whether negligence occurred. This includes checking to see if your doctor followed standard medical procedures in diagnosing infections.
We demonstrate that:
- Your doctor owed you a duty of care.
- Your doctor failed to meet this standard of care by missing the infection.
- This failure caused harm, whether through severe illness, hospitalization, permanent injury, or even wrongful death.
A missed diagnosis can lead to mounting medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Our lawyers can calculate these damages and fight to secure you fair compensation.
Hospitals and doctors have powerful teams of insurance companies that will try to minimize or even deny your claim. Our experienced failure to diagnose an infection lawyers know how to aggressively negotiate to get you the compensation you deserve.
If negotiations fail, we will take your case to court. While most cases will settle before reaching trial, it’s important to have an attorney who is willing and prepared to fight in court, increasing the likelihood of a fair settlement.
Medical malpractice cases are complex. You’re not just proving that a doctor made a mistake—you must show that their negligence directly caused harm. This requires expert testimony, thorough investigation, and strong legal representation. Our lawyers understand how to build a compelling case and fight against hospitals and insurance companies.
How much is my medical malpractice case worth?
You may be entitled to compensation if a doctor’s failure to diagnose an infection caused you harm. This compensation includes:
- Medical bills, including hospital stays, medications, surgeries, and ongoing treatments.
- Lost wages, if you missed work due to your illness.
- Pain and suffering, which is compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the delayed diagnosis.
- Long-term disability costs, if the untreated infection causes permanent damage that requires ongoing medical care.
- Wrongful death damages, if a loved one died due to a misdiagnosed infection.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Kentucky?
The state of Kentucky has a statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases. Generally, you only have one year from the date you discovered the malpractice to file a claim. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, especially in cases involving minors or in cases where the harm wasn’t immediately apparent. Our medical malpractice attorneys can help determine the exact deadline for your particular case.
Kentucky failure to diagnose an infection lawyers working for you
If you or a loved one suffered due to a failure to diagnose an infection in Kentucky, don’t wait to seek legal help. Medical professionals should be held accountable when their negligence causes harm. Contact the Kentucky medical malpractice attorneys at Crandall & Pera Law today to discuss your case and explore your options for pursuing justice. Your health and well-being should never be put at risk due to a doctor’s mistake. If you’ve been affected by a missed diagnosis, you deserve answers—and compensation. Let our experienced attorneys help you fight for what’s right. Please call our offices or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Kentucky failure to diagnose infection attorney. We have offices conveniently located in Lexington and Louisville.