Patients here in Texas trust their health care providers to guide them in making all kinds of medical decisions. Some of these choices can have lifelong consequences, but the aim is generally to improve or save the patient’s life. If a patient is misdiagnosed, he or she may not receive proper treatment. In some cases, that could subject patients to unneeded and irreversible medical treatment, or it could even cost them their lives. Two different patients say that their lives were forever changed by their related misdiagnosis, which can be cause to file a medical malpractice claim.
The two women in question were both subjects of a university research study on genetics back in the 1990s. Both women got results pertaining to their risk for certain cancers. One woman’s test results indicated that she was positive for the mutation in the BRCA1 gene, which can mean a person has an increased risk of developing breast cancer. She decided to have a double mastectomy as a preventative measure. Eventually, she was retested and found out the original results were incorrect.
The other woman received study results that said she was negative for mutation in the BRCA2 gene. Years later, her brother tested positive for the mutation and eventually died from breast cancer. She was also retested and found that the study results were incorrect. The women found out about each other’s experience and realized that what happened to them may not have been statistical error. They have since tried to contact other study participants to let them know of the potential misdiagnosis.
Though these women’s cases are somewhat unique, the incident underscores how important it is for patients to receive proper diagnosis. If a patient is given incorrect information, he or she may pursue unnecessary medical treatment, or not receive proper care. Texas patients who have been harmed by a medical professional’s misdiagnosis may have cause to file for medical malpractice. An attorney who has significant experience in this type of case law can be a valuable ally for both patients and their families.