I lived in a very fast-paced place in Elizabeth, New Jersey. I put in many hours at work and squeezed appointments into my schedule. All the professionals I paid money to take care of my health, I trusted, took their duties seriously and provided services according to the standard of the profession. Never did I question a diagnosis or ask for a second opinion, accepting what the professionals said.
However, this trust cost me. My doctor diagnosed the symptoms of my condition, which lasted for several months, as stress-related multiple times. I did not know that what had happened to me could be regarded as negligence until I talked to an Elizabeth medical negligence lawyer. I got a new understanding of my health, my rights, and my need for advocacy.
I Trusted the Process Without Questioning It
I had been visiting a particular doctor’s practice for years. It all seemed fine. I would tell him my symptoms, he would agree with me, give an explanation, and send me home. When my symptoms persisted, I would go again. Every time I , my doctor told me the same things: reduce stress, sleep more, take over-the-counter medicine.
Misdiagnoses seemed to me like something that could happen in rare cases of serious conditions, but not in my case.
The Second Opinion Changed Everything
My friend suggested that I see a different physician. I wanted to refuse since I thought my doctor had examined my problem enough and I couldn’t do anything else. However, in less than half an hour, I received a completely different explanation of my condition.
The new doctor prescribed me some tests that my previous doctor had not prescribed to me before. The results confirmed that I had a progressing condition that my old doctor told me to resolve by drinking more water and managing my anxiety. I wasted so much time I could not get it back.
I Did Not Know What Medical Negligence Actually Meant
Before this situation, I understood negligence as something that happens in cases of major malpractices or surgeries with severe outcomes. But only then did I find out that it could include:
a failure to order appropriate tests
constant dismissal of symptoms of a condition
any kind of delayed diagnosis that worsened an outcome
Realizing that my old doctor had not met the standard of care reframed my experience.
The Emotional Aftermath Was Harder Than the Physical One
I thought that after receiving a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment I would feel relief. In reality, I experienced an ongoing frustration that took months to overcome.
I reviewed every visit to my old doctor. I tried to remember every time I was in his office and explained my symptoms. I realized how much time I had lost and what my recovery could have looked like if they had listened to me earlier.
The physical treatment was hard, but the emotional burden that I could have avoided was much worse. No one prepares you for the feeling of isolation when realizing that a person, whom you trusted with your health, has betrayed you.
What I Learned About Advocating for Myself
Previously, I thought that a good patient was an agreeable one, the one who comes on time, answers questions, and follows instructions. Now, I realize that a good patient should ask questions, namely:
Why the problem has been diagnosed as it was
Why no tests are ordered
Why your symptoms are considered to be caused by a condition that does not explain them
Only active participation of patients makes the system function.
What I Want You to Take from This
If you feel something wrong in your body and the answers you receive do not correspond to your experience, trust your intuition. See a different doctor, ask for tests, request your medical records. You are not being difficult if you ask for these things. And if you realize that a professional has failed to provide you with the required standard of care, do not hesitate to contact an attorney.
