NY Doctor Sues Apple Again Over Watch Patent

Cardiologist Joseph Wiesel aims to preserve potential damages while appealing earlier dismissal.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 7:13pm

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A New York cardiologist has sued Apple Inc. again over the heart-monitoring features of the Apple Watch. Joseph Wiesel, who teaches at NYU School of Medicine, filed the protective lawsuit to preserve his ability to recover damages while the Federal Circuit reviews an August 2025 ruling that dismissed his December 2019 patent infringement case against Apple.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing legal battles between tech giants and individuals over patent rights, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of wearable health devices. The outcome could impact the ability of independent inventors to protect their intellectual property against larger corporations.

The details

Wiesel's new lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, covers methods and devices for monitoring cardiac activity described in his U.S. Patent No. 7,020,514. He is seeking to preserve potential damages while appealing the earlier dismissal of his case, which alleged that Apple infringed on his patented technology in the Apple Watch.

  • Wiesel filed the original patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in December 2019.
  • The court dismissed Wiesel's case in August 2025.
  • Wiesel has appealed the dismissal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

The players

Joseph Wiesel

A New York cardiologist and professor at NYU School of Medicine who holds a patent related to heart-monitoring technology.

Apple Inc.

The tech giant that produces the Apple Watch, which Wiesel alleges infringes on his patented heart-monitoring technology.

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What’s next

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will review the dismissal of Wiesel's original patent infringement case against Apple.

The takeaway

This case underscores the challenges independent inventors can face in protecting their intellectual property against larger corporations with significant legal resources. The outcome could set an important precedent for how patent rights are enforced in the wearable health technology space.