Receiving a cancer diagnosis is scary. We know that. We also know that an early diagnosis and treatment of cancer is vital to a successful outcome.
Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis comes too late and it is nobody’s fault. Cancer is not predictable and is different for every patient. There are other times when a doctor is careless or negligent and they fail to properly diagnose cancer. Whether it was because of skipped tests or misread symptoms, this can be devastating.
When you need a Camden failure to diagnose and treat cancer attorney, turn to The Weitz Firm, LLC today. We will work to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Take a look at the leading causes of death in the United States and you will see that cancer is in second place, just behind heart disease. With over 600,000 people killed each year from various forms of cancer, diagnosing them correctly is critical.
Now, consider that over 250,000 people die each year due to medical mistakes, many of which are diagnostic errors. In fact, Johns Hopkins researchers have found that diagnostic mistakes cause the most patient harm to any medical error.
According to the American Cancer Society, “some cancers can be found early, before they have had a chance to grow and spread.”
The bottom line is that the earlier a cancer is discovered the better chance people have of beating it or extending their lives.
How do doctors make mistakes when it comes to cancer diagnoses?
When a patient comes to see a doctor for treatment, they expect all of their symptoms to be addressed. Doctors are trained to recognize early signs of cancer. If they suspect something is going on, they should perform the necessary tests. Doing so could lead to an early cancer detection.
Some cancers spread rapidly, so even delaying treatment by a few weeks because of a misdiagnosis can be devastating.
Why does this matter?
According to AARP, cancer treatments can cost more than $100,000 per year. Those costs go up if the cancer treatment needs to be more aggressive. Beyond the financial costs, think about pain and suffering. Emotionally, cancer treatment can be exhausting, taking everything out of a person and their family.
The trauma of going through cancer is hard on a patient and their family. Nobody experiences cancer the same, but we do know how important an early diagnosis is.
We realize that not all cancers will be diagnosed early and that some types are harder than others to detect and diagnose. But there are times when a doctor should have discovered cancer in their patient but failed to do so. This negligence can lead to harsher and more costly treatment. In the worst cases, it can lead to a patient dying before they should have. When you need a medical malpractice attorney in Camden, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
