At The Gogel Law Firm, our medical malpractice attorney in St. Louis knows that cancer is one of the most common types of medical misdiagnosis and that the consequences for failure to diagnose cancer at the earliest possible stage can be life-changing or even fatal.
When cancer is not identified, the patient will not receive the proper treatment, which can cause their condition to quickly progress, leading to extended medical care that could have been prevented with an earlier diagnosis, or spread to other parts of the body potentially becoming terminal.
If you or a loved one has cancer, and believe it could have been identified earlier, here is what you need to know about filing a medical malpractice claim for the damages you have suffered.
When Does a Failure to Diagnose Cancer Become Medical Malpractice?
Determining whether a failure to diagnose cancer rises to the eligibility of a medical malpractice claim requires our skilled St. Louis personal injury attorney to prove that a timely diagnosis would have led to a significantly better outcome.
In some cases, cancer caught at an early stage can be successfully treated, increasing the patient’s survival rate. Other types of cancer have lower survival rates that may not have changed the outcome based on a more timely and accurate diagnosis.
However, medical malpractice claims may be based on the actions or inaction of the physician, including:
- Dismissing the patient’s complaints
- Fails to order appropriate medical scans or blood tests
- Fails to identify symptoms a similarly trained doctor would have associated with the possibility of cancer
- Misinterprets diagnostic tests like CT scans and X-rays
- Fails to perform specific tests, including biopsies that could detect cancer
- Fails to refer the patient to a cancer specialist when appropriate
- Fails to follow up on recommendations for additional testing after receiving certain test results
Failing to diagnose cancer for any of these reasons can lead to harmful and unnecessary medical treatment or ultimately cost our clients their lives. We want to help you hold the liable physician, medical group, or healthcare facility responsible for your full financial recovery.
Contact Our Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri for a Free Consultation
If you believe that you did not receive care that meets the medical industry standards, your physician may have violated their legal duty and may be responsible for your resulting damages.
Contact our dedicated medical malpractice attorney in St. Louis today and allow us to review your case by calling (314) 370-8173 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
