When an individual goes to see his or her doctor, that person is expecting that the doctor will be able to help. While doctors do know a lot about the human body, they may not know everything in regards to medicine. For instance, many doctors do not know how they affect the financial aspect of a patient’s care. In a survey, only 36 percent of doctors said that they believe that they have a major role in controlling patient costs.

A doctor may also fail to tell patients that cancer diagnoses are wrong roughly 5 percent of the time. This is what a study from the Houston Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation and Quality found, and it equates to 12 million adults being impacted each year.

Those who get treatment may not realize that more errors occur during the weekend compared to during the week. This is because emergency rooms may be staffed with newer employees or on-call staff who may not have the experience to provide the standard of care that a patient is used to. The same tends to be true for patients who schedule elective surgeries on a Friday. It could be up to 60 hours before a patient gets to see a doctor who knows and understands his or her unique needs, which could lead to unnecessary complications.

If a doctor makes a misdiagnosis that leads to injury or death, the patient or the patient’s family may file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This might enable the victim or the victim’s family to win compensation for medical expenses. It may also be possible to win compensation to pay for lost earnings and final expenses in the event a patient passes away. Those who are thinking about taking legal action might wish to consult with a medical malpractice attorney.