Cancer is everyone’s worst nightmare. While many people do survive it, it depends on factors such as early detection and appropriate treatment. When a person has cancer but they are misdiagnosed with something else — or not given a diagnosis at all — it can lead to a worsened condition. The patient gets sicker and sicker, and by the time they are diagnosed with cancer, it’s often too late for effective treatment.
Unfortunately, this can happen when a radiologist misses a tumor or indicators of a condition like breast cancer when getting a CT scan, X-ray, or MRI. Or it can happen when a primary care doctor fails to follow up on a lump or other suspicious lesion.
So what happens now? The good news is that you can file a claim for compensation if you have suffered damages as a result of a missed cancer diagnosis. Pursuing such a case can help you take care of your financial, emotional, and medical concerns, and it allows you to hold a negligent doctor accountable for their actions. It can also provide much-needed support for your family. Call the team at Freidin Brown, P.A. for help. Schedule a consultation with a Fort Lauderdale cancer malpractice lawyer when you call our number. Our malpractice team is ready to help you today.
Failing to Diagnose or Treat Cancer Could Be Malpractice
When it comes to cancer malpractice, the two biggest issues are diagnosis and treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can be effective treatments for those who have cancer. Plus, many people have a family history of cancer and are aware of the early warning signs and symptoms. Despite this, healthcare professionals often don’t do enough to prevent cancer.
Healthcare professionals can do their part by evaluating patients who are at high risk for certain types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, and colon cancer. Patients who have certain symptoms should then be given diagnostic tests to rule out cancer.
Diagnosing cancer is not always easy, though, because the symptoms often mimic those of other diseases. However, the doctor needs to be able to provide potential causes for the symptoms. When a doctor cannot completely rule out cancer, then it needs to be treated as such or a second opinion must be provided.
When a doctor cannot provide a timely diagnosis, the cancer can quickly spread and become fatal. When it comes to cancer, time is of the essence. The earlier it can be detected and treated, the better the outcome. And when cancer is detected, the doctor must offer appropriate treatment. The patient must be offered treatment that has a high chance of improving symptoms, not an experimental medication.
Malpractice could even happen after you receive adequate initial care. If your provider did not follow up after treatment, or if they missed the signs of the cancer coming back, this could be a sign of negligence.
What Can a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Do?
Freidin Brown, P.A. is a law firm dedicated to representing malpractice victims during their times of greatest need. Taking legal action is too much for the average person to handle, and this is especially true when their health is on the line. When you come to us, we can take on everything, including:
- Communications with insurers, witnesses, and medical professionals
- Evidence collection and analyzation
- Case evaluation and loss calculation
- Negotiations for settlements
- Trial representation
With over 45 years of experience representing medical malpractice cases, we know what it takes to get our clients satisfactory results. You should not have to stress yourself out trying to handle all of these tasks, so let our law firm help you today. Call us now to begin your free case evaluation.
Victim of Cancer Malpractice? Let Us Help You Seek Justice!
What Damages Can I Seek for Cancer Malpractice in Fort Lauderdale?
When a doctor, nurse, radiologist, surgeon, or other medical professional fails to provide the proper standard of care, you are entitled to seek compensation for your harm. As your Fort Lauderdale injury lawyers, we can help you pursue damages for:
- Medical expenses, especially if you still need medical care and have related bills
- Any income you lost due to your treatments and recovery
- Any of the pain and suffering you may have gone through due to undiagnosed cancer or unnecessary or ineffective treatments
- Emotional anguish and impacts on your ability to enjoy life and connect with family members
Money cannot fully make up for the losses you’ve suffered and that you may continue to go through, but we believe negligent professionals need to own up to the harm they have caused. We also make sure legal help is affordable— we only take payment once the case is successful, so you do not have to worry about upfront costs. You will never owe us money out of your own pocket!
How Long Do I Have to File My Cancer Malpractice Lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale?
Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(c) generally gives malpractice victims two years to file their lawsuit for damages. This time limit starts on the date of the incident or the date of discovery of the incident. Some cases may have a longer timeframe to file, but our lawyers can review your case to let you know if any exceptions apply to your circumstances.
Two years will go by very quickly, and we recommend calling us as soon as you possibly can. We want to protect your right to seek compensation, so the sooner you call us, the better.
Are There Any Other Forms of Cancer Malpractice?
Although many cancer malpractice cases usually involve errors in diagnosis, it’s possible that other acts of negligence could have contributed to your conditions. For example, medication errors could mean that you were given the wrong medicines to treat your condition and that your condition could have worsened due to this.
Your care team may not have given you the right information about your treatment, illness, or side effects. This could mean that you were not able to make informed decisions about your care, and this could have changed the trajectory of your illness and prognosis.
Even surgical errors could be malpractice, especially if the surgical team performed surgery on the wrong part of your body or if the cancer was not fully removed. These and other forms of medical malpractice are quite complicated, so it’s best to leave it to the Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice lawyers at Freidin Brown, P.A.
Contact Freidin Brown, P.A. Today for Help From a Cancer Malpractice Lawyer
It’s important for doctors to diagnose cancer in a timely manner. While there is no cure, the right treatment at the right time can slow down the progression of the disease, improve quality of life, and allow patients to live longer.
If your doctor was negligent in diagnosing your cancer, the team at Freidin Brown, P.A. can help you recover compensation for your damages. Schedule a free consultation with our Fort Lauderdale cancer malpractice lawyers today by calling our number.