Misdiagnosis Or Missed Diagnosis Can Be Fatal

Cancer Misdiagnosis, Misdiagnosis

Cancer is the second most deadly disease in the United States of America, claiming almost six hundred thousand deaths every year. Additionally, it is expected that over one and a half million people will be diagnosed with cancer each year.

The experienced Kingston, New York medical malpractice attorney (along with most other people) knows that treating cancer early is essential; therefore, early detection is essential. A missed diagnosis can be an instance of medical malpractice from which the injured victim is entitled to receive compensation.

What is a misdiagnosis anyway? When a patient presents with a certain set of symptoms and the doctor attributes those symptoms to something other than the true problem/disease, a misdiagnosis has occurred. But mistakes happen, right? And oftentimes many different diseases have similar symptoms, so what is the big deal?

The big deal is that a missed cancer diagnosis can be fatal at worst, and shorten life spans at best. These outcomes are a far cry from what patients expect from their medical care.

The problem is that the missed diagnosis occurred because the doctor did something, or failed to do something, that the medical community expected him to do or not to do. Put another way, any other doctor of similar skill and training within the same field and community would not have missed diagnosing the patient with cancer.

This type of negligence within the medical setting is not acceptable. If a patient is injured by such, and he or she is caused to suffer damages, the patient should expect compensation from the offending doctor. Such compensation will not come just by the asking.

Suing the doctor in civil court will be the surest way to receive compensation for pain and suffering, lost work, lost earning potential, pharmaceutical bills, chemotherapy treatment, long term care costs, etc. The family of the victim can also be compensated when a missed diagnosis led to the victim’s wrongful death. In those situations, the victim’s estate can be compensated and even funeral expenses can be paid for.

Prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, and colon cancer are some of the most commonly missed forms of cancer. Perhaps the patient had tumors, but the doctor said those tumors were benign. Maybe other tests were not read correctly. It could be that the doctor ordered inappropriate tests or did not order tests at all. There are many other explanations as to why cancer diagnoses are missed.

The common denominator between them all is that the missed diagnosis should not have occurred and it would not have occurred had the doctor not committed medical malpractice.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com. You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.