A cancer diagnosis is life-altering and, unfortunately, far too common. In fact, the CDC estimates that in the United States, more than 1.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year, and nearly 600,000 die due to cancer-related complications. The agency says that cancer is the second leading cause of death for Americans.
In many cases, proper cancer treatment and early detection can result in cancer going into remission. If not detected and the cancer spreads, the repercussions could be fatal.
When going to a doctor, you expect the physician to explore all options to address your condition. If they suspect cancer, they should order the proper tests to confirm that suspicion or rule it out. Some doctors, though, don’t do this, and the results can be deadly.
If you or a loved one received a cancer diagnosis and believe a doctor was negligent in identifying your case, contact the team at Simonson Goodman Platzer PC. Our experienced attorneys are here to help fight your claim.
Delayed Diagnosis
A delayed diagnosis is a common medical malpractice claim. When it comes to cancer, early detection is critical. If cancer is detected at a later stage, that means that patients will not have as many options to fight the disease.
Some examples of medical malpractice that could form the basis of a delayed diagnosis claim include:
- Not requesting or performing the correct diagnostic test
- Not giving the patient information to see a specialist
- Not recognizing a tumor
- Lab results that are lost or switched
- Misunderstanding the results from a test
- Losing or mixing up results from a lab
If a doctor did one of the actions above and you were later diagnosed with cancer, you could have a claim for a delayed diagnosis.
Failure to Diagnose
Sometimes, doctors have the tools and data they need to diagnose cancer and yet still do not. These instances might qualify as failure to diagnose. Sometimes, symptoms are not identifiable, making it difficult for a doctor to treat the patient. However, if signs of cancer in the patient were evident, and a doctor ignored those signs, then a patient could have a case for failure to diagnose.
Misdiagnosis
If a doctor begins treating you for one ailment but later determines that the suspected ailment wasn’t an issue at all, it was actually cancer, then a patient could potentially have a misdiagnosis claim.
Misdiagnosis cancer cases are common, but that doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t be held accountable. With the right medical malpractice attorney, you can review potential options for a misdiagnosis cancer claim.
Wrong Treatment
Not all cancer can be treated. However, scientists have come up with many methods to fight cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiation. But, if a doctor begins treating you for one condition, it could actually make your body more vulnerable and the fight against cancer even more difficult.
Fighting a Medical Malpractice Case Involving Cancer
Time is of the essence when fighting a cancer battle. That means if you plan on pursuing a medical malpractice claim involving a cancer diagnosis, you need to take action sooner than later.
It may seem like a large task at hand when considering filing a medical malpractice claim. Keep these tips in mind if you are thinking about pursuing a case:
- Is there evidence? — you will need to have proof that you were under the doctor’s care at the time of the malpractice allegation.
- Was the duty of care upheld? — most likely not if you are considering a medical malpractice claim. Consider what duty of care the doctor should have provided versus the treatment you received.
- Do you have undue pain or suffering? — it’s understandable that there might be some side effects from treatment. However, if you were being treated for a condition you didn’t have, you could have undue pain or suffering from the unneeded treatment you were receiving.
- Contact the right legal team — the attorneys at Simonson Goodman Platzer PC are here for you to fight a medical malpractice claim.
With decades of collective experience, our lawyers are ready to work with you to pursue a medical malpractice claim. With our guarantee of “No Recovery, No Fee,” you have nothing to lose. Contact our office today to set up a free consultation.