Finding out that you have cancer after an initial misdiagnosis can be extremely upsetting. Unfortunately, cancer misdiagnosis is one of the leading types of medical misdiagnosis in the country. When this happens, you might miss important opportunities to treat cancer early on. If your cancer was not diagnosed, or you were diagnosed and treated for cancer when you had a different medical condition, call a cancer misdiagnosis lawyer Miami, FL trusts as soon as possible. Needle & Ellenberg, P.A., works with individuals and families every day. We know how upsetting a misdiagnosis can be, and we understand everything at stake. Let us find out how we may be able to help you. Call Needle & Ellenberg, P.A., to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer Miami, FL has to offer.
The Failure to Diagnose Cancer
When it comes to cancer, early detection is very important. Cancer can spread quickly, and without diagnosing the condition, it can become serious, or deadly. Doctors are required to have the training and knowledge to identify potential symptoms of cancer. When a patient has these symptoms, tests should be ordered to rule out cancer. In the event cancer is the cause of the symptoms, treatment should be made available right away. When a doctor fails to perform these basic duties, they can be found negligent. This means they failed to perform their standard duties of care. In this situation, the patient (or victim) may be able to file a medical malpractice claim for cancer misdiagnosis.
The Most Common Types of Cancer Misdiagnosis
Any type of cancer can be misdiagnosed. However, there are some that are more common than others. As a cancer misdiagnosis lawyer in Miami, FL, we have handled cases involving:
- Breast Cancer – Failure to diagnose a lump, or perform the necessary testing. A claim might also be filed when the results have been misread.
- Prostate Cancer – Failure to perform tests after a patient complains of symptoms related to prostate cancer.
- Skin Cancer – Failure to order a skin biopsy when there is evidence of melanoma.
- Esophageal Cancer – It is common to diagnose this type of cancer as GERD.
- Lung Cancer – Misdiagnosis the cancer as COPD, a cough, or other illnesses.
A cancer misdiagnosis lawyer in Miami, FL might also file a claim for failure to diagnose cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, brain cancer, or cancer of the pancreas (not limited to).
Why Cancer Might Go Undiagnosed
There are a number of reasons that lead to a misdiagnosis of cancer. These include:
- Failure to order or perform tests
- Misreading the results of tests
- Unreasonable delay of tests
- Not referring the patient to a specialist
- Failure to communicate abnormal results
With many cases, the patient is relieved to hear they don’t have cancer only to find out later on that they were misdiagnosed. Not only is this emotionally upsetting, but by the time a diagnosis is made, the cancer may have progressed. Medical treatment might not be available or as successful.
Let a cancer misdiagnosis lawyer Miami, FL families know and respect listen to your case. Call Needle & Ellenberg, P.A, today.
Mishandled Biopsies and Other Errors
In the 21st century, doctors have many tools available to help them determine whether someone has cancer. However, even a simple biopsy can be mislabeled or misread, resulting in delays that compromise the viability of treatment options.
The choices are critical. Should there be surgery, radiation, or no treatment at all? Choosing the most effective path is imperative for the patient. Even if cancer is diagnosed, misjudgments about how much or how fast it has spread can be terribly harmful.
The inherent risk is why it is natural to question whether the diagnosis in your case was wrong, delayed, or altogether missed. Our attorneys can help you bring these questions forward effectively.
We have extensive experience investigating and pursuing medical negligence cases arising from incorrect or untimely diagnoses. We consult with leading medical experts to assess the standard of care received and determine whether it was breached in the case at hand.
Contact Our Miami Medical Malpractice Attorneys
When opportunities for timely treatment of cancer are lost as a result of misdiagnosis, there may be actionable malpractice. Not every delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis results in legal damages. If it does, our lawyers, who have experience with misdiagnosis in cancer cases, will assist you in pursuing financial compensation.
Call us at (305) 530-0000 or 877-810-2864 to arrange a free case evaluation by one of our experienced medical malpractice lawyers. Or, if you prefer, complete our online form.