Second Opinions: When to Seek One and How They Help Malpractice Cases
It’s reasonable for patients to expect a certain level of care when seeking a diagnosis and medical treatment. When a doctor doesn’t meet a standard of care and ends up missing or misdiagnosing a condition, it can cause serious harm to a patient and may be grounds for a Lakeland medical malpractice lawsuit.
Getting a second opinion can play an important role in identifying errors in diagnosing and treating medical conditions. As a result, second opinions are extremely useful in building a strong medical malpractice case.
At Moody Law, our medical malpractice attorneys help Lakeland, FL, Winter Haven, FL, clients recover financial compensation for medical malpractice and can help you if you have suffered injury as a result of medical malpractice.
What Is a Second Opinion?
A second opinion is when a patient sees another doctor or specialist after they’ve been diagnosed with a condition or given a treatment plan. When giving a second opinion, the doctor or specialist will review the patient’s medical history, including any test results or imaging (like x-rays or ultrasound images). Based on the information and their expertise, the doctor or specialist will provide a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Sometimes a diagnosis is confirmed with a second opinion but sometimes a differing diagnosis may be given. A second opinion may identify a failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis, potentially preventing a medical condition from becoming worse or life-threatening.
In addition, a second opinion can open up different treatment plans or access to clinical trials, giving patients more options when making decisions about their health.
When Should You Consider Getting a Second Opinion?
Patients shouldn’t feel uncomfortable when seeking a second opinion. It’s common and sometimes encouraged especially when a diagnosis is unclear. You can get a second opinion simply for peace of mind or for reasons such as:
- You have a rare condition
- You want to know if there are more treatment options
- You have a life-threatening medical condition
- You don’t feel your current doctor is listening to your concerns
- Your doctor isn’t a specialist in your condition
- Your doctor refuses to treat your condition
- Your doctor says they can’t help you
How Do Second Opinions Help Medical Malpractice Cases?
A second opinion is extremely beneficial when building a medical malpractice claim. A second opinion can show that medical malpractice occurred, meaning that a doctor didn’t meet a reasonable standard of care and as a result caused the patient harm.
A second opinion can support a medical malpractice claim by showing that mistakes or omissions were made that led to a wrong diagnosis or missed diagnosis and that another doctor was able to correctly diagnose the condition.
When a second opinion reveals medical malpractice may have occurred, it’s important to speak with an attorney. A medical malpractice attorney can review the details of your claim to determine if you have a strong case for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Schedule a Consultation with Moody Law
If you believe you or a loved one has been harmed by medical malpractice, schedule a consultation with the Lakeland attorneys of Moody Law to find out how our team can help you.