The issue of misdiagnosis has been a hot topic in the news recently after musician and actor Kris Kristofferson was diagnosed at age 79 with untreated Lyme disease. His persistent memory problems had doctors believing for years that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which they had connected to the contact sports Kristofferson played in his younger years.
Kristofferson’s wife recently told Rolling Stone that his memory loss quickly vanished following the Lyme disease diagnosis and a few weeks of treatment. Sadly, he had to suffer for much too long without treatment for his actual condition. He’s also not alone. Misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is all too common in patients with treatable diseases involving memory problems, Lyme disease expert Dr. Gary Small told Science World Report.
Alzheimer’s disease is just the tip of the iceberg in the current misdiagnosis crisis in the United States. In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal has estimated that one adult patient in 20 who visit outpatient settings are misdiagnosed every year in the U.S. That number equates to about 12 million American adults who suffer the consequences of a delayed, missed or wrong diagnosis.
In some situations, this type of medical mistake can be deadly. A cardiovascular event or cancer misdiagnosis, for example, could leave a patient without the lifesaving treatment he or she needs.
Contact our firm for assistance if your loved one suffered harm as a result of a condition that was missed by a medical professional. We have been successfully advocating for victims and their families for decades, and we are prepared and eager to help.
Nothing can change what happened, but filing a misdiagnosis lawsuit can make the health care provider take responsibility for letting someone suffer from unnecessary harm.
