How To Respond To A Cancer Misdiagnosis
Despite cancer being one of the leading causes of death in our country, doctors misdiagnose anywhere between 10% and 28% of cancer patients. The longer cancer has to grow unnoticed, the more dangerous it can be, resulting in worsened conditions, the metastasis of it or even the death of the patient. When a misdiagnosis causes you or a loved one to suffer such serious consequences, you need help holding liable parties accountable.
At Garau Germano, P.C., our lawyers know how deadly a doctor’s lack of knowledge or faulty testing equipment can be. It does not matter if a doctor failed to recognize the signs of cancer or if the lab didn’t properly run the tests – they should be responsible for the consequences of their actions.
What Is At Stake In Your Case
Whether you have any of the commonly misdiagnosed cancers, like breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer or prostate cancer, or another type of cancer, doctors should not be making assumptions in your diagnosis. When a doctor or other medical staff member is liable for your misdiagnosis, insurance companies may try to force you to take a lowball settlement so that they can save money.
Instead of leaving money on the table, our attorneys can fight for you to see your compensation reflect the total cost of your misdiagnosis, including costs like:
- Lost income during recovery
- Current and future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Relocation or renovation costs to accommodate any resulting disabilities
Our lawyers will get pushed around by a hospital’s large insurance company or legal team, and they are ready to fight for you to secure the best outcome possible in your malpractice claim. Below are answers to a few commonly asked questions.
What is a cancer misdiagnosis?
A cancer misdiagnosis is when medical professionals fail to diagnose cancer in a patient. A misdiagnosis can cause doctors to improperly treat cancer, fail to treat it or not identify the cancer at all.
What is a cancer missed diagnosis?
A missed diagnosis is when a doctor fails to identify cancer in a patient entirely. This scenario is different than a misdiagnosis because in this case, a doctor fails to recognize that an illness is present in a patient at all.
How often do cancer misdiagnoses and cancer missed diagnoses occur?
Researchers have looked into the percentage of patients who have suffered cancer misdiagnoses or cancer missed diagnoses. According to studies, more than 10% of cancer victims have experienced one of these scenarios. Some types of cancer are more prone to these issues, like long cancer seeing a misdiagnosis rate of over 22%.
What causes a cancer misdiagnosis or a cancer missed diagnosis?
There are many ways medical professionals can cause a cancer misdiagnosis or cancer missed diagnosis. Common causes include: faulty testing equipment, lack of experience, lack of time with the patient and the inability to read test results properly.
Why are cancer misdiagnoses and cancer missed diagnoses so dangerous?
These situations can be especially dangerous for patients. The extra time it takes to identify the actual illness can give cancer the time necessary to grow from stage three to stage four, allow it to metastasize and even result in the untimely death of a patient.
Do Not Settle For Less In Your Claim
If you believe that you or a loved one suffered avoidable consequences due to a cancer misdiagnosis, contact our Indiana attorneys today. They can review your case, determine if you have grounds for a claim and help you secure the best possible outcome in that claim.
If you are ready to schedule your initial consultation at our office in Indianapolis, call us at 317-978-9973 or email us here today. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner our team can begin fighting for you.