Lyme disease is a serious, long-term condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated right away. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can place an individual at a significant risk of harm. If your physician failed to provide an accurate Lyme disease diagnosis, contact the law firm of Schochor, Frederico and Staton, P.A. for reliable representation in Washington DC and Maryland. Since opening our doors in 1984, our trusted attorneys have filed more medical malpractice lawsuits in Maryland than any other law firm.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is an inflammatory condition transmitted through tick bites. Some ticks carry bacteria that develops into the disease once it enters the human body. Adequate treatment depends on a correct and timely diagnosis. According the CDC, the symptoms of Lyme disease may appear days to months after the tick bite. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Bull’s eye rash at the site of the tick bite and rashes developing on other areas of the body
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Facial palsy
- Nerve pain
- Swollen knees
- Dizziness and shortness of breath
When patients present with these symptoms, it is the physician’s responsibility to ask questions that may reveal possible exposure to a tick. If a reasonable possibility exists, blood tests can provide an accurate diagnosis. When physicians fail to meet their duty, trust knowledgeable Washington DC medical malpractice attorneys to fight for the compensation your case deserves.
The effects of misdiagnosed Lyme disease
Misdiagnosed Lyme disease occurs in one of two ways:
- The physician may diagnose the symptoms as another condition. Lyme disease patients are frequently misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis, leaving the true problem untreated. Without proper treatment, Lyme disease can cause serious medical complications, including heart problems, severe arthritis, and complications within the body’s nervous system.
- The physician may incorrectly diagnose symptoms as Lyme Disease. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat Lyme Disease. Administering these medications to person who does not need them is dangerous, because they kill off good bacteria along with bad bacteria. As explained by the CDC, “…it is important to avoid misdiagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease when the true cause of the illness is something else.”
If you were incorrectly diagnosed with Lyme disease, or your Lyme disease was misdiagnosed, and you suffered harm as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.
Compassionate Maryland and Washington D.C. medical malpractice attorneys advocate for your rights
If you were misdiagnosed in relation to Lyme disease, secure 30 years of medical malpractice experience to help fight for your legal right to compensation. With offices in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, the attorneys of Schochor, Frederico and Staton, P.A. have earned numerous awards for their legal service. Put their award-winning experience to work for you by