Making diagnoses isn’t always easy for doctors in New York and across the U.S. For example, 33 percent of patients were misdiagnosed with asthma in a recent study. Other ailments that are commonly misdiagnosed include lupus, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Diagnoses can sometimes be difficult because many conditions cause similar symptoms.

For instance, Lyme disease is often diagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. Since symptoms may be similar to any number of illnesses, it may be hard for doctors to definitively diagnose Lyme disease in a patient. Rheumatoid arthritis is another condition that may appear similar to many other ailments. This condition causes joint pain and swelling that may result in limited mobility.

Irritable bowel syndrome causes individuals to experience stomach cramps and diarrhea. Research indicates that 10 percent of patients diagnosed with IBS may have another type of inflammatory bowel disease. There is no consensus as to whether there is a good test to diagnose a patient with IBS. Medical professionals are also not sure what causes IBS to occur.

A missed or delayed diagnosis could result in pain or other complications for a patient. If a missed or delayed diagnosis was the result of negligence on the part of a medical professional, a patient may be entitled to compensation. He or she may be able to recoup the cost of medical bills, lost wages and lost future earnings in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Legal counsel may help a patient either negotiate a settlement out of court or pursue a jury award after a formal trial.