When you undergo medical testing, you trust that your doctor will explain the results accurately and promptly. Blood work, imaging, biopsies, and diagnostic screenings are there to guide important treatment decisions.
But what happens when that information is wrong, incomplete, or never shared at all?
Misinformation about test results can cross the line from an honest error into medical malpractice, especially when it causes harm.
Here is what you need to know about how medical misdiagnosis happens and when it may qualify as medical malpractice.
How Do These Medical Mistakes Happen?
Medical mistakes involving test results are more common than many patients realize. According to a National Academies report, diagnostic errors contribute to about 10% of patient deaths and account for roughly 6 to 17% of hospital adverse events.
These errors can occur at multiple stages of the diagnostic process, including ordering, testing, interpreting, or communicating results.
Some examples include:
- A doctor misreading lab or imaging results
- Test results being mixed up with another patient’s
- Abnormal results never being communicated to the patient
- Delays in reporting critical findings
- Incorrect explanations that minimize or misrepresent severe conditions
In some cases, the test itself may be accurate, but the doctor fails to act on the information appropriately. In other situations, the patient may be told everything is normal when it is not.
Is Misinforming a Patient Always Medical Malpractice?
Not every medical mistake qualifies as medical malpractice. Under Kentucky law, medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care. In turn, that failure directly causes injury or harm to the patient.
For a claim to rise to the level of medical malpractice, misinformation about test results must involve:
- A deviation from the standard of care
- Harm caused by the misinformation or omission
- A clear connection between the error and the injury
For example, if a doctor overlooks cancer indicators on a scan and tells a patient the results are normal, that could lead to delayed treatment and disease progression. As a result, this incident may be considered medical malpractice.
Accurate Test Result Communication Is Important
Test results are the foundation of diagnosis and treatment. When doctors misinform patients, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the consequences can be severe.
Medical mistakes involving test results may lead to:
- Delayed or missed diagnoses
- Worsening medical conditions
- Unnecessary or incorrect treatments
- Emotional distress and anxiety
- Increased medical costs
- Permanent injury or death
Unfortunately, delayed diagnosis is one of the most common forms of medical malpractice, especially in cases involving:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Infections
- Neurological conditions
Can a Doctor Be Liable for Withholding Information?
Yes. Failing to inform a patient of test results, especially abnormal or urgent findings, can be just as dangerous as providing incorrect information. Doctors have a duty to communicate results in a timely and understandable manner.
If a physician receives test results and
- Never notifies the patient
- Delegates communication without follow-up
- Assumes someone else will handle it
- Minimizes findings without a proper explanation
They may be held accountable if that failure results in harm.
In medical malpractice cases, courts look at documentation, timelines, and whether appropriate follow-up care was recommended.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Medical Malpractice?
If you believe a doctor misinformed you about test results or failed to share critical information, you need to act right away. That can include:
- Requesting complete copies of your medical records
- Seeking a second medical opinion
- Writing down timelines and conversations you remember
- Avoiding confrontations with providers before legal guidance
- Speaking with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer
McCoy & Hiestand, PLC Are Ready to Fight for You
If you or a loved one were harmed because a doctor misinformed you about test results, McCoy & Hiestand, PLC is standing by. We have represented patients across Kentucky in severe medical malpractice cases involving diagnostic errors and other medical mistakes.
We work with medical experts to evaluate what went wrong, determine whether the standard of care was violated, and fight for accountability and fair compensation.
Doctors are human, and mistakes can happen. But when medical mistakes involving test results cause real harm, patients have the right to ask questions and seek justice.
If you were misinformed, ignored, or left in the dark about critical test results, it may be more than a misunderstanding. It may be medical malpractice.
