Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis

Michigan Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis Claims

An accurate, timely diagnosis is the foundation of effective medical treatment. When a doctor fails to correctly diagnose a condition — or takes too long to reach the right diagnosis — the patient loses critical treatment time, and their condition can deteriorate from treatable to catastrophic or fatal. At Koussan Law, we represent Michigan patients and families harmed by diagnostic failures across the state.

How Misdiagnosis Causes Harm

Diagnostic errors harm patients in several ways. A missed cancer diagnosis allows the disease to metastasize from a treatable stage to a terminal one. A misdiagnosed heart attack or stroke leads to preventable brain damage or death. Incorrect diagnosis of an infection allows sepsis to develop. A missed fracture leads to improper healing and permanent disability. In every case, the patient suffers injuries that were entirely preventable with competent medical care.

Proving Diagnostic Negligence in Michigan

Under Michigan's medical malpractice statute (MCL § 600.2912a), a misdiagnosis claim requires proving that a reasonably competent physician in the same specialty would have made the correct diagnosis under the same circumstances, and that the failure to diagnose proximately caused the patient additional harm beyond what would have occurred with timely diagnosis. We use the "differential diagnosis" standard — showing that the correct diagnosis should have been on the doctor's list of possibilities and was either never considered or improperly ruled out.

Conditions Commonly Misdiagnosed

The most commonly misdiagnosed conditions include cancer (particularly breast, lung, and colorectal), heart attacks and cardiovascular disease, stroke, pulmonary embolism, appendicitis, meningitis, and infections that progress to sepsis. Emergency room settings are particularly prone to diagnostic errors due to time pressure and patient volume.

If you believe a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis caused you or a loved one additional harm, contact Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free case evaluation.