As if being diagnosed with cancer is not enough, sometimes errors on behalf of the physician lead to a failure to diagnose the cancer early and make the road to recovery much longer and much more difficult. If cancer is caught early, it is possible to contain it and ensure a full recovery. When cancer goes undiagnosed for a substantial amount of time the chances of recovery decrease exponentially.
Providing your physician with every opportunity to correctly diagnose cancer involves keeping up on your yearly physical exams and notifying your doctor of any changes in health and any concerns that you may have. Informing physicians of family medical history is also important. However, even if you do all of the right things, sometimes human error can lead to a failure in diagnosis.
For example, the following things could contribute to a failure to diagnose cancer:
- Failure to recognize or address symptoms
- Oversight of required or suggested diagnostic testing
- Incorrect interpretation of test results
Allowing cancer to progress undiagnosed cancels out many of the amazing advances made in medicine in recent years. When diagnosed early, oncologists have many treatment options at their disposal, but when allowed to progress, many of these treatment options become risky or even dangerous. Further, more invasive procedures are generally more expensive and have more serious side effects. A failure to diagnose cancer often leads to the following:
- More invasive and aggressive treatment
- A rise in the cost of viable treatments
- Inability to work and corresponding loss of income
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Premature Death
After even a small undiagnosed progression, previously operable tumors can become inoperable. Skin cancer that could have been removed relatively painlessly and without scarring can spread leading to complications. Finally, chemotherapy can go from being a treatment of last resort to one of the only viable options. A failure to diagnose cancer affects a patient physically and mentally and takes its toll on family members as well.
For some people who are battling cancer, the financial hardship can be more worrisome than the physical one. Large medical bills and lost wages combine to cause major problems for many people. However, there is relief available. Damages can be awarded for a failure to diagnose claim for the following things:
- Medical expenses
- Costs of Long Term care and treatment
- Lost wages
- Permanent disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
- Burial expenses
If you have suffered from a doctor’s misdiagnosis or lack of diagnosis of cancer, you need to be compensated. Our lawyers are here to get you the compensation you deserve. We ask that you do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.