When a patient’s condition is misdiagnosed, it can lead to life-altering consequences.
A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic found that over 20% of patients with serious conditions were initially misdiagnosed and received a “distinctly different” diagnosis after meeting with another health care provider.
While 20% of serious conditions are misdiagnosed, the average error rate across all diseases is slightly over 11%, according to a 2023 report by Johns Hopkins.
When a serious illness goes undiagnosed, patients can be put in harm's way. Their condition may have time to worsen or spread, which could limit their treatment options.
If you or a loved one was misdiagnosed, we may be able to help you pursue compensation from a failure to diagnose lawsuit. Let us fight for justice on your behalf.
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Diagnostic Errors: A Growing Concern
Diagnostic errors occur when a medical professional fails to correctly and timely diagnose a health issue — or when the diagnosis is not communicated clearly to the patient.
As more studies tracking diagnostic errors are conducted, the gravity of this issue is quickly becoming clear: Over 12 million Americans are misdiagnosed annually in some estimates, and the consequences can be severe.
“An estimated 795,000 Americans die or are permanently disabled by diagnostic error each year.”
– Johns Hopkins Medicine
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have also found that misdiagnosis is the most common and costly form of medical malpractice.
“Diagnostic errors could easily be the biggest patient safety and medical malpractice problem in the United States,” said Dr. David E. Newman-Toker of Johns Hopkins. “There’s a lot more harm associated with diagnostic errors than we imagined.”
An Overlooked Crisis in the Health Care System
Despite their significant physical and financial impacts, diagnostic errors are often overlooked because their effects aren’t always immediately apparent.
“It's the bottom of the iceberg,” explained Dr. Newman-Toker. “These are frequent problems that have played second fiddle to medical and surgical errors, which are evident more immediately.”
In other words, it remains hidden because other types of malpractice capture more attention from the media and the public.
While surgical instruments left inside a patient or incorrect amputations make for dramatic news stories, the reality is that misdiagnosis is far more likely to cause harm to the average person.
Why Does Misdiagnosis Occur?
Addressing the root causes of misdiagnosis is key to keeping patients safe. However, misdiagnosis is a problem with many causes and no easy solution.
A misdiagnosis may occur due to:
- Bias: Implicit gender and racial biases can affect diagnosis accuracy, especially when symptoms don’t align with typical presentations seen in cisgender white men. Women and people of color face a 20-30% increase in misdiagnosis risk, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
- Hospital Environment: The fast-paced and bustling environment in an emergency room, for example, can cause medical staff to make a mistake. Around 1,400 diagnostic errors occur within every emergency room across the country each year.
- Human Error: Even the most experienced providers can make mistakes. Gaps in medical knowledge, misinterpretation of diagnostic tests, or failure to follow up on abnormal results can all result in a misdiagnosis.
- Nonspecific Symptoms or Preexisting Conditions: Symptoms like fatigue, pain, or nausea can be caused by many conditions, making it harder to pinpoint the exact cause. Existing health issues may also overshadow new symptoms, leading to misdiagnosis.
In one Boston failure to diagnose case, a man went to an ER with severe pain but was sent home after being misdiagnosed with a pulled muscle. The hospital failed to take his previous conditions into account, which led to partial back paralysis. We secured $2 Million on his behalf.
Understanding all of the factors that may play into a misdiagnosis is crucial for improving diagnostic accuracy and enhancing patient care.
15 Commonly Misdiagnosed Conditions
Just 15 conditions account for over 50% of all serious harm caused by diagnostic errors, according to the BMJ Quality & Safety Journal. Most fall into the category of either a vascular event, infection, or cancer misdiagnosis.
Conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed include:
- Aortic aneurysm/dissection
- Blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism)
- Blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism)
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Endocarditis
- Heart attacks
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
- Meningitis or encephalitis
- Pneumonia
- Prostate cancer
- Sepsis
- Spinal abscess
- Strokes
After a delayed lung cancer diagnosis allowed a New Hampshire patient’s illness to advance, our cancer misdiagnosis lawyers filed a lawsuit and recovered $3.25 Million in compensation.
Conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed and have the most serious impact on patient health outcomes should be prioritized when developing solutions for diagnostic errors.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos exposure that forms in the lining of organs, like the lungs or abdomen. Since only around 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year, most doctors don't think to look for it.
"It's such a rare cancer that the majority of patients end up getting misdiagnosed or treated for a number of other things before it gets figured out."
– Dr. Joseph Friedberg, Thoracic Surgeon & Mesothelioma Specialist
Symptoms of mesothelioma, like fatigue, a persistent cough, and weight loss, are often mistaken for those of more common illnesses. Patients with a history of asbestos exposure often benefit from going to a mesothelioma specialist and getting a second opinion.
Walter Twidwell, a U.S. Navy veteran, was repeatedly told he had pneumonia. It wasn’t until a chest X-ray was performed that the true cause of his illness was revealed, and he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
As a national asbestos law firm, our team has helped many families seek compensation and justice after a mesothelioma misdiagnosis.
The Cost of Misdiagnosis
In addition to this tragic human cost, misdiagnosis is a heavy financial burden on the health care system. Cases of misdiagnosis cost the U.S. health care system approximately $100 Billion each year.
These costs often stem from:
- Additional diagnostic testing
- Managing complications
- Medical malpractice lawsuits
- Unnecessary treatments
In one case, our client received $3.9 Million from a Massachusetts failure to diagnose lawsuit after their doctor didn’t diagnose a herniated disc in a timely manner.
The overdiagnosis of breast cancer due to false positives is another example that contributes to these costs, totaling $1.2 Billion annually from unnecessary treatments and testing.
More research and funding are needed to combat the misdiagnosis crisis in this country and keep patients safe, but this issue is rarely seen as a priority by the public, the media, and even the medical community.
“Relative to its public health footprint, diagnostic errors are likely the most underfunded research area in medicine, directly receiving only about $7 million per year.”
– Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine
Funding research could help doctors develop better diagnostic tools and protocols, ultimately reducing the frequency and cost of misdiagnosis.
Get Help from an Experienced Misdiagnosis Lawyer
At Sokolove Law, our misdiagnosis lawyers have decades of experience fighting for those affected by malpractice across the country.
We can handle every step of the legal process for you, so you can focus on your health during this difficult time.
Our team has secured more than $9.6 Billion for families across the country.
There are no hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs to work with us. We only get paid if your case results in compensation.
Call (800) 995-1212 now or fill out our contact form to see if we can help you seek justice and compensation from a misdiagnosis lawsuit.
