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
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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.
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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.