Missed / Delayed Diagnosis
The attorneys at Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler, represent victims and their families who have been damaged by medical error and misdiagnosis. A medical misdiagnosis is just as dangerous as any operating room mishap or prescription mistake. If a patient is misdiagnosed, he or she may be forced to live with a time sensitive ailment such as cancer or heart problems. He or she may be subjected to incorrect or unnecessary surgery, or may be prescribed medications that cause new conditions or complications. A missed or delayed diagnosis can occur with many conditions including the following:
- Heart problems
- Pregnancy complications
- Blood clots or DVT (Deep Venous Thrombosis)
- Non-malignant tumors
- Cancer
One of the most common forms of medical misdiagnosis involves cancer. With cancer, it is important to have an early diagnosis. Failure to diagnose cancer in its early stages, or a delay in diagnosing cancer until the cancer has reached an advanced stage, has serious consequences. A missed or delayed diagnosis of cancer is a common occurrence that can lead to spread of the cancer, causing disfiguring surgery, unnecessary chemotherapy and radiation therapy and, in some cases, death. If you have been diagnosed with cancer that you feel should have been previously diagnosed, you may be the victim of medical malpractice.
Medical mistakes can cause curable cancers to remain untreated and to worsen. A cancer misdiagnosis also has the potential to cause victims to develop other physical and psychological conditions that require future treatment, contributing to financial hardship and severely inhibiting the victims’ ability to sustain meaningful employment.
Cancer misdiagnosis can most frequently be attributed to:
- A non-cancerous (or benign) tumor is identified as cancerous (malignant)
- A cancerous lesion is missed in the biopsy procedure
- A cancerous mass is diagnosed as benign
- Failure to refer a patient to a specialist for further testing
- A cancerous tumor is misclassified as to type or misgraded as to aggressiveness
- Specimens are mishandled by pathology, or improperly read or interpreted
- Failure to follow up with a patient if cancer should have been suspected
- Failure to adequately screen for increased risk patients (age/ethnicity/family or personal history/gender)
- Failure to understand or notice the nature of a patient’s complaints
If you or someone you know suffered serious health problems or death as a result of an erroneous or delayed diagnosis, call the trial lawyers of Rush, Hannula, Harkins & Kyler, now at (866) 454-7445 or click here to submit a free case review. Let our experience work for you. Our initial consultation is free of charge and we only get paid for our services if you receive monetary compensation.
