Failure to properly diagnose a medical condition is one of the most common New York medical malpractice claims. It occurs when a physician fails to identify and appropriately treat a medical condition, either by not identifying the problem at all or misidentifying a problem. There are numerous reasons as to why a physician might fail to properly diagnose a condition:
- Improperly conducting a physical examination
- Failing to perform regular screenings, especially in high-risk patients
- Failing to recognize potential indications of a problem
- Failing to pay attention to and act on a patient’s complaints appropriately
- Failing to order appropriate tests when indicated
- Misinterpreting test results
- Misdiagnosing a tumor as benign
- Failing to provide adequate follow-up care, including following up on test results or ordering additional tests
- Delaying referral of a patient to a specialist
Failure to diagnose a condition early can impact the outcome of treatment, or can affect if treatment is even an option, which makes early and accurate diagnosis of illnesses and injuries extremely important.
Physicians most commonly fail to diagnose or misdiagnose the following:
- Cancers, particularly of the breast, colon, prostate, lung, ovaries, cervix, testicles, kidneys, esophagus, or skin
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
- Diabetic reactions, including ketoacidosis and diabetic coma
- Meningitis
- Stroke
- Lyme disease
- Parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract
- Periodontal disease
If you or your loved one was injured due to a doctor’s failure to diagnose, contact our New York lawyers for a FREE case evaluation today. Our attorneys have secured millions in compensation for malpractice victims.