A pathology misread happens when a pathologist incorrectly interprets tissue, blood, or other lab samples and gives the wrong diagnosis, misses a disease, or reports normal findings when something serious is actually there.

That can mean cancer is called benign, an infection is missed, or the type and stage of a disease are reported wrong. The fallout is practical and immediate: the patient may get the wrong treatment, lose time on the right treatment, or go without any treatment at all. In an injury or malpractice claim, the key question is usually whether a careful doctor in the same situation should have read the sample differently and whether that error caused extra harm.

What to do next is usually straightforward: get the pathology report, the slides or specimen records, and the follow-up records showing what happened after the bad read. A second review from another specialist often becomes the backbone of the case. The claim may involve medical malpractice, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or wrongful death if the mistake led to a fatal outcome.

In West Virginia, these cases are commonly handled under the Medical Professional Liability Act. Deadlines can be strict; malpractice claims generally must be filed within 2 years, though the timing can depend on when the injury was discovered, and other notice rules may apply.