Medical errors by New Jersey doctors, hospitals, and other medical professionals involving the misdiagnosis of diseases and other medical conditions are relatively common. Such instances of medical malpractice can lead to the worsening of the condition, difficulty in curing the condition, or death of the patient. At the New Jersey law firm of Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, our medical misdiagnosis lawyers have extensive experience representing victims of medical malpractice where a doctor has misdiagnosed a condition or disease, such as a $4,750,000 settlement for failure to diagnose stomach cancer and a $950,000 settlement for failure to diagnose breast cancer. We also had a $4.5 million case settlement for failure to diagnose malaria.

A recent survey commissioned by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) asked people if they had ever experienced a misdiagnosis or medical mistake. Forty-two percent of those surveyed reported they had been involved in a “medical mistake.” Another forty percent stated they had been party to a misdiagnosis or treatment error; however, they did not differentiate between treatment error and misdiagnosis. About eight percent of the respondents claimed misdiagnosis was a primary causal factor in the medical error. Another nine percent said their doctor did not make an adequate diagnosis from the start. These rates of medical malpractice due to a misdiagnosis appear to be at least as high, if not higher, in New Jersey.

Studies on misdiagnosis in the Emergency Room have shown misdiagnosis rates by an emergency room doctor are between twenty and thirty percent. Due to the hectic nature of New Jersey emergency rooms and the serious and time-critical aspects of those who present there, the rates would be expected to be higher.

A large portion of medical malpractice lawsuits in New Jersey are filed due to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. The six most misdiagnosed conditions are:

Usually, misdiagnosis occurs when a patient presents with a non-typical condition, such as a young person having an acute heart attack. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

If you or a loved one is a victim of medical malpractice due to misdiagnosis by a doctor, contact the New Jersey medical misdiagnosis lawyers at Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman. We will get back to you as soon as possible to discuss your medical misdiagnosis case.