Hearing a doctor say that you have cancer is one of the scariest things you may ever experience. Fortunately with the medical advancements made over the years, many different types of cancer can be treated if they are caught early. Doctors who fail to diagnose cancer in its early stages place patients at great risk. In many cases, it is a matter of life and death. If you or someone you love did not receive a diagnosis in a timely manner, you may be able to take legal action. Our Jacksonville failure to diagnose cancer lawyer can advise on the facts of your case and ensure your rights are upheld.
When Does Failure to Diagnose Cancer Occur?
Obviously, when a physician fails to detect cancer when a person is suffering from the disease, it is a failure to diagnose cancer. This type of medical negligence occurs for many different reasons. Doctors may not order the necessary tests to detect the cancer, such as a mammogram, or they may order the tests but misinterpret the results. Physicians may also fail to obtain a complete list of the patient’s symptoms, or they may not take a person’s complaints seriously.
Failure to diagnose cancer can also occur when a physician does diagnose the disease, but they diagnose the patient with the wrong type of cancer. Not all cancer treatments are the same, and different types of diseases will not respond to all of them. For example, while mouth cancer usually requires surgery, throat cancer can often be treated with radiation alone. If a patient suffers from throat cancer but a doctor diagnoses them with mouth cancer, the individual may undergo surgery when it is not necessary.
Victim of a Failed Cancer Diagnosis? Let Us Help You Seek Justice in Jacksonville!
Common Types of Cancer that are Not Diagnosed Properly
While no one wants to think about it, doctors can misdiagnose virtually any type of cancer. Still, there are some types of diseases doctors fail to diagnose more commonly than others. These are as follows:
- Cervical cancer
- Breast cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Colorectal and colon cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Melanoma cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Lung cancer
It is no coincidence that many of the above cancers are fatal. It is not uncommon for them to develop into stage three or stage four, when they are the most deadly. It is critical that doctors recognize the signs of any type of cancer so they can diagnose the condition as quickly as possible. It is only with a swift and accurate diagnosis that patients can receive the treatment they need to get the best possible prognosis.
Our Failure to Diagnose Cancer in Jacksonville Can Advise on Your Case
If you or a loved one has become sicker or passed away due to a doctor’s failure to accurately identify their condition, our Jacksonville failure to diagnose cancer lawyer at Freidin Brown, P.A. can advise on your case. Our seasoned attorneys have the necessary expertise helping victims of medical malpractice, and we will put that experience to work for you.