Medical Misdiagnosis & Delayed Diagnosis

Medical misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis claims in Canberra

When you visit a doctor, you’re placing your trust in them to work out what’s wrong and help you get better with a diagnosis and the right treatment. But what happens when that diagnosis is wrong, or comes too late? A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can change the course of your health, and your life.

At MEJ, our experienced medical misdiagnosis lawyers understand how devastating it can be when a healthcare professional gets it wrong. For over 40 years, we’ve been helping individuals and families across Canberra and the ACT seek justice and fair compensation when diagnostic errors have caused harm.

What is medical misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis?

Medical misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare professional incorrectly identifies your condition, leading to wrong treatment, unnecessary procedures, or a complete lack of proper care. A delayed diagnosis happens when a condition is eventually identified correctly, but the time taken to reach that diagnosis has allowed the condition to progress or worsen.

The consequences of both can be heartbreaking. When cancer, heart disease, infections, or other time-sensitive conditions are misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late, the impact on your health and your future can be profound.

Common examples of misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis include:

• Cancer misdiagnosis or delayed cancer diagnosis, allowing the disease to spread
• Heart attack or stroke symptoms dismissed as less serious conditions
• Infections left untreated, leading to sepsis or organ damage
• Fractures or internal injuries missed in emergency departments
• Neurological conditions such as meningitis or brain tumours overlooked
• Conditions misread on imaging scans, pathology reports, or test results

If your condition was misdiagnosed or your diagnosis was unreasonably delayed, and this caused you additional harm, you may have grounds for a compensation claim.

Medical negligence claims can arise when diagnostic errors occur at any point in your care, from your GP to specialists, hospitals, pathology labs, and radiology services.

How diagnostic errors happen

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis don’t just happen. They’re often the result of preventable failures in how healthcare professionals approach your care:

• Failure to order appropriate tests or imaging
• Misinterpretation of test results, scans, or pathology reports
• Dismissing or overlooking patient symptoms and concerns
• Inadequate patient examination or history-taking
• Failure to refer to a specialist when required
• Poor communication between healthcare providers
• Cognitive biases leading to ‘anchoring’ on an incorrect diagnosis

These errors can occur in any healthcare setting across Canberra and the ACT, from busy emergency departments to GP clinics, specialist consulting rooms, and diagnostic imaging centres.

How we can help

Our team of Canberra-based medical misdiagnosis lawyers has extensive experience investigating diagnostic failures and pursuing compensation for those who’ve been harmed. We work with leading medical experts to review your case, identify where the standard of care was breached, and build a strong claim on your behalf.

At MEJ, we work to secure compensation for:

• Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
• Medical expenses (both past and future)
• Loss of income or reduced earning capacity
• Rehabilitation, therapy, and ongoing care needs
• The psychological impact of diagnostic errors

We understand the complexity and sensitivity of misdiagnosis cases. Whether you’re dealing with a delayed cancer diagnosis, a missed stroke, or any other diagnostic failure, our medical negligence lawyers are committed to achieving the best outcome for you.

Do I need a medical misdiagnosis lawyer?

Diagnostic error claims are among the most complex areas of medical negligence law. Proving that a diagnosis should have been made earlier, or that a different diagnosis was warranted, requires detailed medical evidence, expert opinions, and a thorough understanding of clinical standards.

Having an experienced misdiagnosis lawyer ensures that:

• Your medical records are thoroughly reviewed and potential negligence is identified
• Independent medical experts provide opinions to support your claim
• All correspondence with insurers and defendants is handled professionally
• Your case is presented compellingly, whether through negotiation or court proceedings

We will enter into a costs agreement with you specific to your case.

Time limits for misdiagnosis claims

In Australia, strict time limits apply to medical negligence claims. Generally, you must commence legal action within three years of when the injury occurred or when you first became aware of it. The laws around limitation periods are complex, particularly in delayed diagnosis cases where the timeline can be unclear.

We encourage you to seek legal advice as soon as possible to protect your rights and ensure your claim isn’t barred by time limits.

Why choose MEJ?

For over 40 years, MEJ has been a trusted name in Canberra legal services. We’re a local firm with deep roots in the ACT community, not an interstate operation managing cases from afar. Our team combines decades of medical negligence experience with a personalised, client-first approach.

We are:

• Experts in diagnostic error and medical misdiagnosis claims
• Delivering proven results across complex medical negligence cases
• Based in Canberra, serving the local ACT community
• Committed to compassionate, responsive legal support

If you believe you or a loved one has suffered due to a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, don’t navigate this journey alone. Our experienced Canberra-based medical negligence lawyers can help you understand your rights and options.

Call us on 1800 570 778 or (02) 9158 1333

Submit an enquiry online to speak with a medical misdiagnosis lawyer attorney.

Taking the first step might feel difficult, but you deserve answers, and if negligence occurred, you deserve compensation.