A pain management physician accused of failing to make a timely diagnosis of a patient's spine growth settled a lawsuit for $2 million, New Jersey Law Journal reported May 6.
Arik Mizrachi, MD, of Princeton (N.J.) Orthopaedic Associates saw a patient experiencing weakness in both legs in February 2020, the report said. The patient said he should have been directed to a spine surgeon or neurosurgeon after an MRI revealed irregularities on his spine.
But Dr. Mizrachi allegedly told the patient to see an oncologist or primary care physician, but the patient disputed the claim, the report said. Dr. Mizrachi had the patient return to the office a month later for intra-articular facet injections but allegedly didn't assess the patient's leg weakness or ask about visits with other physicians.
The patient woke up on March 30, 2020, unable to stand and was diagnosed with plasmacytoma on his thoracic spine. He sued Dr. Mizrachi in 2021, and the settlement was reached on March 18.
Attorneys for Dr. Mizrachi didn't respond to the publications' request for comment.