When you receive a diagnosis for a serious or terminal condition – cancer, Alzheimer’s, ALS, etc. – your whole world changes. Many people decide to confront the diagnosis head on, agreeing to further tests, medication and treatments. Others sink into depression. Some even take their own lives out of a feeling of hopelessness.
Imagine then a doctor telling you later on that you or your loved one never had the condition. Think of all the money spent on tests and treatments. What if the treatments and medication actually made your overall health worse? What do you do when a loved one is already gone?
Lawsuits unfolding over faulty Alzheimer’s diagnoses
A now-closed clinic in another state is facing lawsuits from more than 50 people over its false diagnoses of Alzheimer’s. The lawsuits allege that the clinic’s owner, who had a doctorate in physiological science, would order tests and have her husband, a doctor, sign off on them.
The cognitive clinic was run through a much larger medical center, which should have provided more vigilance of the faulty procedures, the lawsuits allege.
The owner of the clinic would allegedly diagnose Alzheimer’s after only a few visits and then recommend bringing other family members for tests, who she would also diagnose with the terminal condition. One man who she diagnosed committed suicide due to the resulting depression, his wife says.
You have the right to a second opinion
As a patient, you have the right to consent to all treatments that you undergo. If you receive a diagnosis of a devastating condition like Alzheimer’s, it is always wise to seek a second opinion. In the example listed above, many good people were taken advantage of. You always have the right to ask about someone’s qualifications for diagnosing an illness. Do not assume that just because someone is connected with a credible organization that the first diagnosis will always be the right one.
If you or a loved one is the victim of a misdiagnosis, it could be an act of medical malpractice. Our lawyers can meet with you to discuss your case and help you assess your options for seeking the compensation you deserve for any unnecessary treatments, pain and suffering.
