Bronx Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Misdiagnosis in New York City

Diagnostic errors, including misdiagnosis, are incredibly common in the United States. Every year, more than 12 million adults seeking outpatient care are misdiagnosed, according to recent studies. This means about 1 in 20 adult patients receive a misdiagnosis annually, and approximately 10 to 20 percent of those patients have serious conditions.

Misdiagnosis can have serious implications. A misdiagnosed patient will almost certainly not receive the care they need, or their treatment could be significantly delayed. This can lead to worsened conditions and, in many cases, death. This is especially true in cancer patients, who may have curable conditions when they first seek care but, due to misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose cancer, do not receive treatment at all or only receive treatment once cancer has metastasized or become incurable.

Since 1991, the medical malpractice attorneys at Wolf & Fuhrman LLP have successfully represented patients and their families in all types of complex and challenging cases. We have brought personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of those harmed due to diagnostic errors throughout the Bronx and New York City and have held countless medical providers and institutions accountable for their negligence. If you or someone you love has received a misdiagnosis, leading to injury, harm, or death, reach out to our firm right away to learn how we can help you and your family.

Call (718) 293-0980 or contact us online for a free consultation. You can also visit our office, no appointment necessary, and speak to a member of our team. Hablamos español.

HOW COMMON IS MISDIAGNOSIS?

Studies show that misdiagnosis is very common in the U.S., with tens of millions of patients receiving a misdiagnosis every year. About five percent of adult patients who seek outpatient care are misdiagnosed, and a whopping 88 percent of patients who receive a second opinion are given either a modified or completely changed diagnosis (66 percent and 21 percent, respectively). More than half (51 percent) of second opinions provided for breast imaging tests/screenings result in a substantial change in interpretation.

Cancer is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed medical conditions, with over 40 percent of some types of cancer being first misdiagnosed. The most commonly misdiagnosed types of cancer include prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and breast cancer, as well as lung cancer and others.

Perhaps most alarming, nearly 30 percent of misdiagnoses lead to life-changing or life-threatening consequences, including unnecessary or incorrect treatments, delayed treatment, increased medical care costs, significant physical pain and emotional distress, and death. At Wolf & Fuhrman LLP, we believe that medical providers who fail to properly screen patients, analyze test results, and/or diagnose patients should be held accountable.

Examples of Misdiagnosis

There are many specific examples of misdiagnosis, but in general, any time a medical provider does not provide an accurate or timely diagnosis, the patient has been misdiagnosed. Sometimes, medical providers have trouble diagnosing rare conditions or abnormal symptoms; this does not necessarily constitute medical malpractice. However, if a provider fails to act in a way that another qualified provider would have or acts in a way that another qualified provider would not have in the same or similar circumstances, leading to misdiagnosis, the affected patient and/or their family could have a medical malpractice case.

Some examples of misdiagnosis include:

  • A patient goes to the emergency room with chest pain and other symptoms of a heart attack, but is told that she is having an anxiety attack and is sent home without treatment
  • A patient seeks treatment for gastric distress and is diagnosed with indigestion when she is actually experiencing a heart attack
  • A patient seeks treatment for fever, chills, fatigue, and muscle soreness and is diagnosed with the flu when they really have Lyme disease
  • A patient is misdiagnosed with viral meningitis or strep throat when, in reality, they have bacterial meningitis
  • A nursing mother is diagnosed with mastitis and given antibiotics when she actually has inflammatory breast cancer

These are just some examples of misdiagnosis. If you believe that your injuries, medical condition, or loved one’s death resulted from a diagnostic error, such as misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or failure to diagnose, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your related damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, funeral expenses, and more.

How Does Misdiagnosis Happen & Who Is Liable?

Misdiagnosis occurs due to a wide variety of reasons. To be considered malpractice, misdiagnosis must result from substandard medical care. In other words, if the doctor or medical professional who treated you failed to uphold the accepted standard of care, leading to your misdiagnosis, you likely have a medical malpractice case.

Some of the most common causes of misdiagnosis include medical professionals:

  • Failing to recognize symptoms
  • Ignoring some or all symptoms
  • Dismissing patients’ symptoms
  • Confusing symptoms of different conditions
  • Failing to consider abnormal symptoms
  • Failing to conduct/order proper tests
  • Failing to screen for certain conditions, such as cancer
  • Misreading test results/misanalysis of lab findings
  • Failing to refer patients to specialists
  • Failing to conduct adequate follow-up care

If your medical provider failed to uphold the standard of care—meaning they did not do something another qualified provider would have or did something another qualified provider would not have—leading to your misdiagnosis and subsequent injuries, you could have a claim against the medical provider. When misdiagnosis occurs in hospitals and other medical facilities, the institution itself could be legally liable for all of the victims’ damages. However, if the misdiagnosis was provided by an independently contracted physician or another self-employed medical professional, the individual provider is likely liable.

At Wolf & Fuhrman LLP, our Bronx misdiagnosis attorneys can review the details of your case and determine who is liable for your pain, suffering, and financial losses. We have extensive experience and know how to utilize all available evidence to build a strong case on your behalf.

Who Is Most at Risk of Misdiagnosis?

Unfortunately, some medical providers are more likely to dismiss or fail to recognize serious symptoms in certain groups. According to an in-depth report by Healthline, women and minorities in the United States are as much as 20 to 30 percent more likely to receive a misdiagnosis. The risk increases in certain specific areas; for example, young women experiencing heart attacks are significantly more likely to be misdiagnosed than male patients. Young women of color are the most at risk when it comes to misdiagnosis of heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening conditions.

Trans individuals represent another vulnerable group when it comes to diagnostic errors and improper medical treatment. Often, these individuals do not receive an adequate level of care, either due to individual practitioner prejudice or systemic discrimination that disproportionately disadvantages trans patients.

To learn more, visit us in the Bronx or contact us today at (718) 293-0980.

Commonly Asked Questions

What constitutes medical malpractice in the case of misdiagnosis?

Medical malpractice in the context of misdiagnosis occurs when a healthcare provider fails to deliver the accepted standard of care, leading to an incorrect or delayed diagnosis. This could involve overlooking symptoms, misinterpreting test results, or not conducting necessary tests. If another qualified medical provider would have acted differently under similar circumstances, and the patient suffers harm as a result, it may be considered malpractice.

Who is liable for damages in cases of misdiagnosis?

In cases of misdiagnosis, liability can fall on the individual medical provider or the medical institution, depending on the circumstances. If the misdiagnosis was due to negligence on the part of a hospital-employed doctor, the hospital may be liable. Conversely, if an independently contracted physician or a self-employed medical professional is responsible, they may be personally liable for the patient's damages.

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How Our Firm Can Help You

If you were harmed due to an improper diagnosis, delayed diagnosis, or provider’s failure to diagnose your medical condition, Wolf & Fuhrman LLP can protect your rights and fight for the just compensation you are owed. With backgrounds in medicine and medical malpractice defense, our Bronx misdiagnosis attorneys truly understand these cases. We fight back against systemic racism that causes minorities to suffer diagnostic errors more frequently than white patients, as well as widescale prejudices and problems within the medical system that disadvantage women, trans and non-binary individuals, and others.

We are proud to represent clients in our community, as well as throughout New York City. We have been serving the Bronx and the surrounding areas for more than 30 years, the past 15 of which we have spent right here in our street-level office on Webster Avenue. Our doors are always open; you can visit our office any time and be greeted by a friendly and professional member of our team. We can also travel to meet you at a place that is most convenient for you and your family.

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