Cranston Failure to Diagnose Attorney

When you seek medical care, you expect your doctors to use their training, knowledge, and available resources to diagnose your condition correctly and promptly. Unfortunately, medical professionals sometimes fail to identify serious illnesses or injuries, delaying necessary treatment and causing avoidable harm. If you or a loved one has been harmed because a healthcare provider failed to diagnose your condition, Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. can help. As an experienced failure to diagnose lawyer in Cranston, RI, we fight to hold negligent medical providers accountable and help you secure the compensation you deserve.

Call us at (401) 200-4059 to schedule a free consultation and take the next step towards reclaiming your life with confidence and clarity.

What is Failure to Diagnose?

Failure to diagnose is a form of medical malpractice that occurs when a healthcare provider does not identify a medical condition in a timely manner—or at all—despite having enough information and tools to make the correct diagnosis.

A missed or delayed diagnosis can have severe consequences. Medical conditions often progress over time, and early detection is critical for effective treatment. When a doctor fails to recognize symptoms, ignores patient concerns, or misinterprets test results, the patient may lose valuable treatment opportunities, leading to worse outcomes or even death.

Under Rhode Island medical malpractice law, to prove a failure to diagnose claim, you typically must show:

1. A doctor-patient relationship existed.
2. The healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care.
3. This failure directly caused harm or worsened your condition.
4. You suffered damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering.

Common Examples of Failure to Diagnose

Failure to diagnose can occur in almost any medical setting, from emergency rooms to private practices. Common examples include:

• Cancer – Misinterpreting imaging scans or ignoring early symptoms can delay treatment, allowing cancer to progress to more dangerous stages.
• Heart attacks and strokes – Mistaking cardiac or stroke symptoms for less serious issues can be deadly.
• Infections – Overlooking the signs of sepsis, meningitis, or other serious infections can lead to life-threatening complications.
• Fractures and internal injuries – Especially in emergency settings, missed diagnoses can result in worsening injuries and long-term disability.
• Diabetes – Failing to diagnose diabetes in its early stages can lead to severe complications like neuropathy, kidney damage, and vision loss.
• Pulmonary embolism or blood clots – Failure to recognize these can result in sudden death or severe injury.
• Pregnancy-related complications – Misdiagnosing or ignoring preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or fetal distress can harm both mother and child.

Common Causes of Failure to Diagnose

Failure to diagnose is rarely the result of one simple mistake—it often happens because of a chain of preventable errors. Common causes include:

• Inadequate patient evaluation – Skipping a thorough physical examination or failing to take a complete medical history.
• Ignoring patient-reported symptoms – Dismissing complaints as unimportant or unrelated.
• Failure to order appropriate tests – Not ordering necessary blood work, imaging scans, or specialist consultations.
• Misreading or misinterpreting test results – Overlooking abnormal findings or incorrectly reading diagnostic images.
• Poor communication between medical staff – Information being lost or miscommunicated between doctors, nurses, and specialists.
• Overloaded medical facilities – Staff shortages or heavy caseloads leading to rushed care and overlooked details.
• Reliance on faulty diagnostic tools – Outdated or malfunctioning equipment producing inaccurate results.

Proving a Failure to Diagnose Claim in Rhode Island

To bring a successful failure to diagnose claim in Rhode Island, you generally need strong evidence, such as:

• Medical records and test results.
• Expert medical testimony showing how the provider breached the standard of care.
• Documentation of how the delay in diagnosis worsened your condition.

Rhode Island has specific statutes of limitations for medical malpractice claims, meaning you have a limited time to file your lawsuit. Because these timelines can be complex, it’s important to speak with a knowledgeable Cranston failure to diagnose lawyer as soon as possible.

Compensation for Failure to Diagnose Victims

If your claim is successful, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost income and diminished earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of quality of life
• In wrongful death cases, funeral expenses and loss of companionship

Failure to Diagnose FAQs

Is every missed diagnosis considered malpractice?

No. Not every missed diagnosis is malpractice. To have a valid claim, you must prove that the healthcare provider acted below the accepted standard of care and that this directly caused you harm.

How long do I have to file a claim in Rhode Island?

In most cases, Rhode Island law gives you three years from the date you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) the malpractice. However, certain exceptions can shorten or extend this period.

Can a nurse or lab technician be held liable?

Yes. Any healthcare professional who breached their duty of care and contributed to the failure to diagnose can be held liable, including nurses, lab technicians, and specialists.

Will I need a medical expert for my case?

Almost always, yes. Medical expert testimony is critical for explaining the standard of care and how your provider’s actions—or inaction—fell short.

What if the failure to diagnose happened in an ER?

Emergency rooms are often high-pressure environments, but providers are still required to follow proper protocols. If they fail to do so, they can be held accountable.

Speak with a Cranston Failure to Diagnose Lawyer Today

If you believe a medical provider’s failure to diagnose your condition caused harm, you deserve answers—and justice. At Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C., we have the experience, resources, and determination to investigate your case, work with trusted medical experts, and fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Contact Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. today to speak with an experienced Cranston failure to diagnose attorney and start protecting your rights.