re: Taken to the ER, get cleared, and have to go back to the ER because they got it wrong

I broke my wrist in high school football practice. Went and got an Xray after practice - at an after hrs clinic - they said nothing was wrong. Didn't agree with that answer and decided to go to another clinic. They said I had dislocated my pinkie finger, put a soft cast on it and recommended me to an ortho to put it back in place. Got XRays at the orthopedic clinic the next morning and was told that I had fractured 2 bones in my wrist and my pinkie finger was fine.

Happens a lot unfortunately. Severe neck pain after a traumatic event? Gotta just be “whiplash” no way something significantly worse could happen.

That is likely the dedicated clavicle X-ray done by the 2nd ER. The first ER probably didn’t have a board certified emergency physician on staff and was either an NP or FMG family medicine doctor.
Avoid small town ERs if you can help it. They will hire anyone with a license and a pulse to work there because good ER docs won’t work at these places when they can work at bigger facilities and make double the salary.
Regardless, your clavicle fx isn’t life/limb threatening and your friend ultimately got the correct diagnosis. He should have went back to the same ED for a recheck. That’s why the discharge papers say “return for worsening symptoms.”
If the fx was found n the return visit, then you could have gotten the 2nd visit charge waived by talking to the house supervise and filing a complaint. I’d still file a complaint with the first hospital. He will likely get the charges significantly reduced.

I stand by what I said. Your frievd’s Fracture does not require surgery. It will heal just fine way it is. Now if he’s an athlete or older then it may take a lot longer to heal without surgery, but it would heal.

Regardless, the first ER messed up and should have made the diagnosis, but it is not malpractice.